Guardian Angel
by Andi-Chan
Summary: AU Kori Anders was killed by a drunk driver while she was in the car with her boyfriend, Xavier. Now, she’s given a chance to live again. But what’s the catch? She has to make Richard Grayson see the purpose of life before he decides to kill himself.
1. The Ordeal

Summary: Kori Anders was killed by a drunk driver while she was in the car with her boyfriend, Xavier. Now, she's given a chance to live again. But what's the catch? She has to make Richard Grayson see the purpose of life before he decides to kill himself!

Prologue

Kori Anders was in the passenger seat of the car while her boyfriend Xavier was driving.

"X?" she asked, using his nickname. "Where are we going?"

He turned to her quickly, with one hand still on the wheel, and whispered, "You'll see."

"I can hardly wait." She shivered from the sexiness of his voice. "I still don't understand why you took me out in the first place. I have homework to finish!"

"You know what today is, right?"

She looked puzzled. She had absolutely no idea what was so special about the damn day.

"Um. No." She answered, "Am I supposed to know?"

X laughed. " I should think so. It is the day you were born."

"Oh. Of course I knew that."

Her face flushed red with embarrassment.

"Riiight." X drawled, "Are you sure they didn't accidently switch your birth certificate with an Alzheimer patient's?"

"Hardy har, very funny," She said, rolling her eyes.

X squeezed Kori thigh getting a surprised "Eep!" from her. "I know. I should be a comedian."

Kori slapped him lightly on the shoulder. "How many times have I told you to keep your hands on the wheel at all times?"

"Only about a million times, Kor."

"The person who gave you your license must have been on crack."

"I gave it to him before we started. He thought it was sugar."

They both laughed. Little did they know that it would be the last time they would ever do so. Their life would be over as quick as a flash, and it would be the fault of a speeding vehicle heading in their direction. The inhabitant was drunk.

"X watch out!" Kori screamed. "

X tried as much as he could to swerve to the right, but it was inevitable. They braced themselves the impact. Kori reached for X's hand.

"I love you." She whispered.

She never heard an answer.

Chapter One:

The Ordeal

Kori felt strange. It was like she was floating, suspended in air. She tried to convince herself that she was having one of those Charlie and the Chocolate Factory dreams again. She was too afraid to open her eyes and find out.

'_Come on, Kori. You have to be strong about this.' _

She slowly opened her eyes. It took a while for her eyes to adjust to her new surroundings. She was in some kind of white room. At first she thought it was an insane asylum. Then she noticed the men in the white coats were missing so she knew she was mistaken. Instead there were men in white masks.

"Time of death: 10:57 pm." A surgeon muttered, looking at his watch. "About time, too. My wife made tuna casserole today and I'm starving."

'_Have they no sympathy for this poor person?'_

"Let's get her cleaned up. I hate to break this to her family." Another surgeon said while shaking her head. "She's so young…"

What Kori saw next made her breath hitch up in her throat. The surgeons moved to reveal a girl with bright red hair and green eyes. The girl was_ her_.

She closed her eyes to make sure that what she was seeing was real.

_'How is this possible?'_ she thought. _'I'm dead?'_

She heard clapping behind her and she quickly turned around to see a girl with flamboyant pink hair and a gothic style outfit.

"It only took you five minutes to figure that out! That has to be some kind of record... It took your boyfriend quite a while to figure that one out."

Kori was surprised to see that the girl was floating in the air as she was.

"I do not know if I should feel stupid for not knowing who you are. But I am going to ask anyway. Who are you?"

"I am the what they call the Grim Reaper in your world. I hate that title...but here I'm simply called the Angel of Death." she responded robotically, as though she had said it more than a million times.

Kori's eyes suddenly clouded with worry.

"What is going to happen to me now? I'm ...dead, right? So where do I go now?" Her eyes suddenly filled with pain. "Where is X? What happened to X?"

The Angel of Death sighed.

" This is the worst part of my job." she muttered.

"What are you talking about? What happened to X?" Kori demanded.

"Come with me." The angel of death said simply.

The angel snapped her fingers and suddenly they were in brand new surroundings. There was a humongous door in front of them.

"You have a choice, Kori. You can step through this door and live in eternal happiness, without X or anything in your previous life. Or, you can go through an ordeal that will grant you your life back." The angel explained.

Kori was at a loss. "Well, uh Grim... uh...Angel of umm..."

The angel giggled, "Call me Jinx. It makes things much easier for the both of us."

"Jinx, I couldn't possibly live my life without the people that I love. I will miss my annoying younger brother and overpowering older sister as well as my clueless parents. I shall agree to take your ordeal... whatever it is?"

Jinx shook her head as though she knew what Kori was getting herself into. "You have to save a boy from his otherwise inevitable urge to commit suicide."

Kori looked shocked, "Why in the world would anyone want to destroy anything as valuable as their own life? Whoever this person is, he's a nutcase."

Jinx looked saddened for a mere second and then shook her head, "Believe me, you don't know that half of what people go through in that demented world you call Earth. Especially this kid."

Kori pondered this for a moment, "Well, if that's all that I have to do, then I think I'm ready to go through with this ordeal thingy."

Jinx nodded, "Good. Now follow me."

The two walked to the edge of the platform. Kori had no idea of what she was supposed to do, so she just stood there. Jinx just stood there as if waiting for some kind of signal.

"Uhhh... Jinx? What am I supposed to-" she was cut off as Jinx pushed her off the platform and into the sky below.

* * *

Richard Grayson was staring with utter disinterest at his bedroom ceiling.

He was extremely _bored_. There was absolutely nothing to do. His Uncle Wayne was out of town as always, so hanging with him was definitely not an option. Though he did have an entire mansion to himself...

I know what you're thinking, reader, is this guy nuts or what? Why doesn't he throw a damn house party? THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO DO SOMETHING WITHOUT ADULT SUPERVISION FOR ONCE DAMMIT!

On the contrary, Richard was not nuts. He was sane as, well, a sane person. But to actually have a house party, Richard would have to have friends. He was a loner, everyone in the school avoided him like the plague. He couldn't blame them, really. He didn't really try hard. Why just this morning…

_The teacher looked around the classroom, "Who can solve the equation that I have up on the board?"_

_No one raised their hand._

_Richard rolled his eyes. He hated school. It was one of life's many pointless processes. He didn't feel a need for it's repetitious lessons and time consuming hours._

_His annoyance didn't go unnoticed by the teacher._

_"If you're so smug Mr. Grayson," he said, folding his arms over his chest. "Would you mind telling me the answer?"_

_"The square route of 7xy to the fifth power." He muttered monotonously._

_The teacher gave him a triumphant glance, "Aha! I wouldn't be looking so smug if I were-" he looked downcast as he looked at the answer book, "Oh... that's the right answer."_

_Richard smirked._

_"But I will not tolerate your overbearing attitude in this room. To the principal's office now!" the teacher barked._

_A mocking laugh could be heard from the back of the classroom, and Richard could tell who it belonged to. Johnny Rancid. _

_"What now bird-boy?" He jeered._

_Robin sighed and got up from his chair. He didn't even know what the hell he did to deserve this. It was a fucking conspiracy!_

_"God damn it, I hate this school!" he muttered._

_"What was that?" The teacher asked._

_"None of your damn business." Richard snapped as he opened the door to leave._

_"Yo, Richard! Chill!" Victor Stone, all time supreme jock exclaimed._

_"I don't believe that I was even talking you, so that gives you no reason to talk to me Stone." Richard seethed._

_Victor looked taken aback, but he quickly backed off. No one bothered Richard when he was angry._

_Richard walked to the door of the principal's office and glared hatefully at the plaque on the door. The inhabitant was Mr. Hellaman._

_The students just called him Slade._

No. Richard Grayson was never willing to make friends. He was a loner who didn't trust anyone but himself. It made him an easier target for the stupid kids who have nothing better to do than make fun of a fellow classmate.

So with nothing better to do himself, Richard the loner tried to put his poor restless body to sleep. He was definitely going to need it.

* * *

Kori opened her eyes to find herself in her room. Every single thing was in place. It was as though she had never left. Her bed was even made to perfection.

'_Perhaps I never did leave, and this is all a bad dream that I am going to wake up from any moment.'_

Her hopes quickly diminished, however, when she looked over to her night stand to see an envelope with the name Jinx written on it.

She sighed as her sadness overwhelmed her. This was the real deal, and she was the walking dead.

She reached out for the envelope with trembling hands and quickly ripped it open.

_Kori,_

_This is your apartment. I've decorated it exactly like your room in your previous life. Your name is Star Summers, but your nickname is Starfire. Do NOT under any circumstances reveal your real identity to anyone except Richard, and only when it is absolutely necessary. Trust me you'll know when the time is right. You'll be going to Jump High and you may make as many friends as you wish- but don't get too attached. Good Luck! I will _be checking up on you from time to time, you might even see me sooner than you think.

Jinx

P.S.: Enclosed is a photo of Richard Grayson. I'm warning you, don't get too attached... no matter how hard it may be.

Kori read over the last part again in utter confusion. What in the hell did she mean by that? She dug into the envelope to retrieve the photo. Of course she wouldn't get attached to this suicidal nutcase. She was way too devoted to X to even look... at... another... Dayum. He was _fine._

She shook her head and turned the picture upside down. What the hell was she thinking? She was already devoted to her boyfriend. She was already in love! She couldn't look at this guy no matter how sexy...

Damn.

She flipped the picture over again. She couldn't help herself. Who said a dead girl couldn't indulge every now and then?

* * *

Hey! This is Andi-Chan here! I came out with a new idea for a story! Please tell me that you like it! PRETTY PLEASE!


	2. Star Summers, Hot Commodity

Guardian Angel : Chapter Two

Star Summers : Hot Commodity

Kori stared down the long wretched hallways of her new school. Okay, so maybe they weren't wretched, but that's how she felt. She didn't want to be here with people that she didn't know. She wanted to go back to her old high school with her boyfriend X.

X.

Just his name brought tears to her eyes.

She hastily wiped with her shirt sleeve. She was here for X so she had to be strong and tough it out. If she didn't, she would never see him again.

She had almost arrived at her new locker when she heard something.

"Hey, Babe."

Kori turned around to see one of the most unattractive boys she'd ever seen. He had hair that was out of control, piercing eyes, and a leering smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"I think you are mistaken. I'm not your 'babe' and I will never be, so if you could you stop invading my space I'd be very grateful." Kori said as kindly as she possibly could. She added a glare for good measure.

When she didn't hear an answer, she turned back to her locker.

She gasped as the the boy forcefully turned her around and roughly shoved her against her locker.

"Listen here, bitch." he growled "No one rejects Johnny Rancid."

Kori wasn't scared in the slightest. She spit in his face.

"I believe I just did."

Johnny's expression quickly changed from angry to lustful in a matter of seconds.

"I like 'em feisty," he said, trailing an finger down the length of her arm.

Kori gave a sound of disgust, " Listen here, take you hands off-"

Johnny interrupted her with a rough kiss.

* * *

Richard walked down the hallways with the same attitude that he usually had: utter disinterest. He passed the same classrooms, same bathrooms, same principal's office, same Johnny Rancid making out with a girl-

Oh, this was new.

Richard walked closer to get a better look, and what he saw disgusted him. There was a girl trying as hard as she could to push Johnny away, but Johnny was coming on too strong. His hands were all but up her shirt, and the girl was crying her eyes out. This was low, even from Rancid's standard.

"Hey, Rancid! Have you sunk so low as to harass innocent girls for pleasure. I never thought even _you_ wouldn't sink that low." Richard spat.

"Bug off bird-boy! This is none of your business!" Johnny hissed.

"Oh I think it is, Rancid. This is the hallway and everything you do here is everyone's business," Richard said smugly.

Rancid growled threateningly, "You're going to regret even talking to me like that."

He turned to walk away, but not before giving Kori a slow once-over.

"I'm not done with you yet, babe."

Kori glared at his back. She felt utterly violated! She turned to her savior only to see the boy she'd spent hours the night before admiring. She did what her instincts told her to do. She hugged him.

"Thank you so much! Who knows what he could have done?" She wailed.

Richard was taken aback, but gained his composure with lightning speed. He pushed her away none too gently.

"Don't touch me."

Kori looked confused, "But I simply wish to-"

"Listen," he interrupted, "Just because I saved you from that creep doesn't mean we're friends. As a matter of fact, let's just forget that whole incident ever happened, ok?"

Kori's confusion quickly changed to anger, "You know what? Fine. That is the last time I ever try to say thank you to anyone." she stormed off in the direction of her next class.

Richard couldn't believe it but, as the girl became an insignificant student in the mass of the hallway's inhabitants, he actually felt _guilty._

* * *

Terra Magellan dragged her feet down the hallway in a lethargic manner. She, like the thousands of other students, did NOT want to be at school right now. She would rather have been at home watching her favorite cartoons again, and again and-

Her repetitious thoughts were interrupted by a girl storming down the hallway. This was usually a normality as the number of breakups and arguments at this school were astounding. But this was significant because the girl storming down the hall way crashed into her. Hard.

The girls eyes no longer flashed with anger, rather with concern, when she noticed that she'd knocked someone over, "I am so sorry! Are you hurt?"

"I've been better." Terra moaned.

The girl offered a hand, and the girl graciously took it, "I'm Star, by the way. Star Summers."

Though Terra was wary that this girl could be acting superficial she introduced herself.

"I'm Terra, Terra Magellan."

"Is there anyway you can point me to my first class? I'm new here and..." Kori trailed off feeling slightly embarrassed.

"Say no more! I know this school like the back of my hand!" she bragged.

"Oh... does that mean that you know something about Richard Grayson?" Kori asked hopefully.

Terra raised one eyebrow, "Why exactly do you want anything about him if you just moved here?"

Kori caught her mistake, "Uh... I mean um well I..."

Terra's looked of astonished. "You like him don't you?"

Kori shook her head, "I've heard some pretty bad things about him."

"Oh. Well he's a total lone wolf who thinks he's the only person the exists in this entire world and thinks that every one else is pond scum!" Terra fumed.

Kori took a step back. "Have you ever thought that maybe he is a little misunderstood?"

"He's-"

Briiing!

"Oh shit! That's the bell." Terra shouted, grabbing Kori's hand and running in the direction of their class.

* * *

Richard found himself arriving at his Biology class just thirty seconds before the bell rang. He never bothered with punctuality because, quite frankly, it didn't matter much. He was surprised that he even arrived on time after the encounter with Rancid and that weird girl. Where did she come from anyways? Not like he really cared or anything-

The door to the classroom opened wide to reveal the very subject of his thoughts, along with that annoying Magellan girl.

But he didn't care about her, he was staring at the strange girl he'd met merely two minutes before. She donned a disheveled appearance- the first three buttons of her blouse were undone and one side of her skirt was hitched up to reveal rather long tanned legs and-

And why was he thinking about her like this again?

"Care to explain yourselves?" the teacher asked, her voice riddled with aggravation.

"My name is Star Summers I'm new here and I was just asking Terra where my new class was." Kori replied, feeling rather scared of her new teacher.

"You are both excused, but don't expect this to work on me tomorrow." The teacher said with a wink.

Kori sighed and walked to an empty seat- beside Richard Grayson. But before she reached her seat, a foot blocked her path and caused her to topple over.

Right on Richard's lap.

* * *

At first neither of them moved an inch, but soon after Richard was the one to push her off none to gently. "It's only youe first day here and you're throwing yourselves on me? Maybe I shouldn't have stepped in on you and Rancid. It's obvious that you're a mindless slut." he growled.

The class oohed.

Kori was beyond angry.

"If I were you I wouldn't be making assumptions about someone you've just met! I wouldn't be attracted to you or what's his name if someone paid me, you jerk!" she tried to remain indignant but tears were welling up in her eyes.

Once again, Kori had managed to make Richard feel guilty. The truth was, he didn't mind her falling in his lap. She wasn't heavy, in fact she was the opposite. And it was wrong to call her such a vile name...

'_What the hell is wrong with me today.'_

* * *

Kori was glad that Biology class was over, and that she was away from the dreaded Grayson monster. She didn't know what he had against her or the rest of the world, but he _really _had issues.

She looked down at her schedule, wondering what class she'd be tortured in next:

_Biology: Room A2_

_Spanish: Room B9_

_P.E.: Room C7_

_World History: Room A6_

_Lunch: Caf._

_Martial Arts: Gym. 2_

_Algebra/Geometry: Room G7_

_English: F4_

Kori walked out to the main hallway and spotted Terra glaring at someone.

"Hey Terra! What are you looking at?"

Terra blinked several times before pointing at someone.

"The gothic freak over there."

Kori followed the direction of Terra's finger and laid her eyes on a petite form standing at her locker talking to some guy with green hair. "Why do you call her a freak?"

Terra growled. "She's a boyfriend stealing bitch."

Kori walked over to the couple, "Hey, my name is Star Summers and I am new here-"

The goth narrowed her eyes, "Don't think you can trick me you little wench. I saw you talking to Terra. Don't think I'm going to fall for that one again."

Kori's eyes flashed, "I just met her and I have no intentions of spying on you if that is what you are implying. I suggest you actually listen to what I say before you jump to conclusions."

The boy beside her made a slashing gesture at his throat, "Uh... Star is it? I wouldn't do that if I were you she-"

"Shut up, Garfield. She's right, I did jump to conclusions but I had every right. Ever since Terra-"

"Ever since I what?" Terra appeared beside her.

"Terra."

"Raven."

"Bitch."

"Witch."

The two girls glared at each other for a long time, neither of them wanting to back of just yet.

"Mind telling me what's going on?" Kori whispered in Garfield's ear

"Terra and Raven used to be best friends. But then, they got over a fight about something and all they have done thus far is fight." Garfield sighed.

"Are you Raven's boyfriend?" Kori asked innocently.

Garfield's face turned cherry red, "O-of course not."

"Um, guys? Shouldn't we be going to class now?" Kori asked.

No one answered.

"Okay, I'm gone." Kori said dejectedly.

* * *

Kori made it to Spanish class just in time. She scanned the room for vacant seats, but couldn't seem to find one. Her eyes centered on Richard Grayson. He had a look of utter disinterest written on his face. She noticed with dismay that once again the only vacant seat was located right beside his.

She sighed and plopped herself down next to him. She heard him let out an aggravate sigh, which roused her anger.

"Look. All I wish to do is come to school and learn these absolutely pointless lessons. Could you at least let me suffer in peace?" She growled.

Richard turned to her and matched her glare one hundred times over, "Listen new girl-"

"I have a name you know." She said pointedly.

"Whatever. I want you to stop talking to me and leave me alone." he said harshly looking into her eyes.

She didn't falter.

"I wasn't the one who was all aggrivated! All I did was sit here and you go ballistic on me!" Kori shrieked, "I never did anything to you-"

She was interrupted by cowardly whimper. Johnny Rancid was trying to throw a boy out of the seat next to her.

"Listen, kid. If you don't get out of this desk in five seconds, I will make you get out, you understand?" Rancid said threateningly.

Kori jumped out of her chair, "Leave him alone, you ignoramus."

The boy looked even more scared, "It's a-alright I'll just t-take his chair instead." The boy ran to the back of the class tripping over his feet in the process.

"You see, Babe," he whispered in her ear, "I can give you everything you want."

Kori withdrew her ear in disgust, "No thanks." she sad simply as she sat down in her chair.

The teacher walked in and it signaled the end of their little chat. Richard just sat there looking at Kori. What was with that girl? Why wouldn't she leave him alone?

Richard also noticed that whenever Rancid got the opportunity, he would purposely drop his pencil on the floor so that he could get a look up Kori's skirt.

Richard was disgusted. He didn't know that Rancid could ever be so much of an ass-

Scratch that. Of course he did.

Every time Rancid dropped his pencil, every time he secretly gave Kori a lecherous grin, Richard felt his blood boil. And he hadn't the foggiest idea why.

* * *

The rest of Kori's day went by pretty uneventfully. Well, except for the fact that Richard was in EVERY SINGLE ONE OF HER CLASSES! She knew that she was supposed to be friends with him, but he was making it absolutely impossible!

She was at 'home' now and she was utterly tired. She was also bored out of her mind. She looked above her head rest to see the picture of Richard that she 'd posted there.

'_Dumbass.'_ she thought._ 'Arrogant, pompous, chauvinistic, sexy, sexy, sexy...'_

She shook her head. No matter how hot this guy was he was still an dumbass.

'It's obvious to me now that looks aren't everything.'

* * *

Richard was sitting on his bed doing...absolutely nothing. It was then that an image became engraved into his memory. He didn't know where the hell it came from but he could sure as hell recognize the girl.

There was a car that was totaled to the highest degree. A boy about his age was sitting in the drivers seat with his arm around some girl.

But she wasn't just some girl. It was Star.

'_What the hell?'_

* * *

'There are exactly one hundred and ninety-six tiles, 14 horizontal lines. 14 vertical lines, and 10,000 dots on my ceiling.' Kori mused. 'I've never been this bored in my entire life.'

She glanced over at her desk and noticed something that she'd overlooked before. A piece of paper with Richard's address written on it in neat (and also glowing) print. Maybe she could...

She shook her head vigorously. What was she thinking? She couldn't go over to his house, she hardly knew who he was. For all she knew he could be a rampaging teenage serial killer! But on the other hand if she apologized she would have a better chance of living again...

She jump out of the bed and made up her mind. She was going to his house whether Richard like it or not! And then maybe they could become friends, and maybe more...

"Urgh!" Kori growled. She proceeded to hitting her head against the wall.

Again.

And Again.

And Again.

TBC...

Hey Once again, I hope it wasn't too boring! R&R Por favor!

Andi-chan


	3. The Good, the Bad, and the Jealous

Chapter Three:

The Good, The Evil, and the Jealous

Kori had made up her mind: she was going to Richard's house no matter what. Even_ if _he was the most annoying person on the planet.

She'd decided to change out of the clothes she'd worn to school. She didn't know why, but she wanted to look good for this.

As whe walked to her closet and opened the doors, she was enveloped by a gust of wind. And before she knew it, she was falling through her own closet!

* * *

Kori had felt this sensation before, but this time it felt like she was falling to a much closer destination. She looked down at her outfit and cursed whoever picked it out for her. She didn't look like what she'd usually wear. She was sure her outfit would only reinforce Richard's previous assumptions.

She was wearing a royal purple bra with a denim mini skirt. Over her bra, she wore a jeans jacket that was hardly big enough to conceal her overly revealing top- if you could even call it that. She look like a cheap hooker.

She didn't know where she was going at all but she was about to find out. She was on a collision course with a gargantuan house. She braced herself for impact, but was really surprised when she landed on something soft. She opened her eyes to meet the furious eyes of Richard Grayson.

Kori looked horrified, "Oh! I am so sorry... um you see my best friend and I went on this helicopter, and she pushed me out and-"

He quickly put his index finger on her lips. Something appeared on Richard's face that she'd never seen before. Even though it was just a trace- was that a smile she detected?

The smile quickly changed to a smirk, "Who in their right mind told you that this outfit was suitable for anything but a _good time_?"

Her eyes narrowed, " For your information, I am _not_ that kind of girl. If you have not noticed it is extremely hot outside."

Both of them were unaware that her words had tempted their inner thoughts. At that moment they were both promoted to think the same things.

'_Not as hot as you.'_

It scared them both that even though they utterly despised each other, they couldn't help but feel utter attraction towards each other. But this only lasted a few seconds before Richard just had to ruin it.

"Once again, you have a reluctance to get off me."

Were you born with this absolutely aggravating air around you, or do you actually like bothering people?"

When she didn't receive an answer she stood up and walked towards the frame of his bedroom door.

"I am leaving."

Something compelled Richard to get up and grab her arm.

"Please, don't leave." His eyes held a slightly pleading look in them. "I don't want to be alone in this house."

Kori didn't give in and tuned around to face him. She folded her arms across her chest. "You have an odd way of showing it."

Richard had to look straight into her eyes to keep herself from looking down. "You just don't understand."

Kori's eyes softened, "I would understand if you would only tell me what you're going through."

He was taken aback by her concern and his eyes clouded over.

"Never mind."

Kori sighed. She was so close to a breakthrough with Richard!

"I will not bother you about it, if you are not ready to talk." She walked closer to him an wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug, "But if you ever need someone to talk to. I can be that person."

Richard nodded into her shoulder but realizing that he'd perhaps shown too much emotion, he quickly shrugged out of the hug. "I suppose you should go before my uncle gets back from work."

"I suppose I should." she walked out of his room slowly.

This time Richard couldn't avert his eyes from her long legs.

'_I swear this girl is going to be the death of me!' _

* * *

Kori got home and was furious- at a certain gothic angel. What was she thinking but making her wear that outfit? It was a disgrace.

"Geez, I know you're mad but chill!" said a voice behind her.

"AH!" she screamed. Kori turned around to face her, "What are you doing in my room?"

Jinx snorted, "You'd think you'd have some courtesy for the person that got you approved for this ordeal."

Kori sighed, "I am sorry, I am just irritated that you gave me that outfit to wear and-"

Jinx laughed, "That was pretty funny wasn't it?" She sighed deeply, "But that's not what I'm here for."

Kori looked concerned, "What are you here for then?"

Jinx looked sympathetic. "You're not the only one that wants to convert Richard. There are demons from hell who have taken the same ordeal and are trying to find ways to make him kill himself so that they too can come back to life." She sighed, "Evil always works muck quicker than good."

Kori looked bewildered.

"Y-you mean I am up against demons?" Her shoulders sagged. "How do you expect me to compete with them? God. They probably run around wearing sexy clothing. I've always wanted to wear a jumpsuit-"

"This is not a joke!" Jinx looked slightly angry, "If you aren't confident about saving him, then there are many other angels lined up for this job. This is not an obligation, it's a _privilege_."

"I am sorry, I crack jokes when I get nervous. It is almost too hard to take in." Her eyes suddenly shined with determination. "I'm going to try my best!"

Jinx looked satisfied, "That's what I thought."

* * *

"So, Star? I saw you walking out of Richard's house yesterday wearing an unusual outfit- what's up with that, huh?" Terra asked.

"Nothing. It was cold outside, and I kind of fell out of a helicopter and on top of him through his ceiling window, and-"

Terra's eyes widened. "You landed on top of him again and he let you live? He must really like you."

Kori looked puzzled, "What do you mean by that?"

Terra looked reluctant, "Well... there was this one girl that threw herself on top of him because she thought she was the hottest little thing... and," Terra shuddered, "I heard he pulled out a switch knife and slit her throat."

Kori's hands immediately went for her own neck, "I am sure that never happened... you know how people make up rumors."

Terra looked unconvinced. "The girl was in the hallway clutching her throat in pain, and blood was squirting out of it. She was screaming in pain for someone to help her. A teacher called 911... but it was too late. She'd choked on her own blood."

'_Is that the reason that Richard wants to kill himself? Because he took the life of another human being?'_

Terra looked disgusted. "He should have gone to jail and rotted there. But his Uncle Wayne bailed him out. Just shows how money seems to be worth more than a human life."

'_It is like I want to believe her, but I cannot...'_

"Well," Kori said shakily, "I will see you around Terra, I have to go to Martial arts."

Terra gave a little wave and watched Kori walk around the corner with emotionless eyes. An evil smile made it's way on her face. It had already begun...

* * *

Kori had already changed into her gi. Her previous martial arts classes had just consisted of learning stretches. She wanted to learn more.

She glanced over at Richard who, at the moment, had his eyes closed. She crawled over to his spot on the mat and attempted to wave her hand in front of his face. Immediately he grabbed her hand and flipped her over without even lifting an eyelid.

"Summers, if you don't want to get hurt I suggest you let me concen- concentra- concentrate." Richard's cheeks flushed. When he flipped her over, the top portion of her gi had slipped to her elbows- exposing her tanned skin and bright pink camisole. She didn't seem to notice, but it seemed as though the entire rest of the class did.

Richard reached towards her chest just as she looked down and she gasped. She held her breath wondering what he was going to do. She was relieved when her lifted the gi back on her shoulders.

"Geez, Summers! Learn to keep your shirt on!"

He got up and offered her a hand, which she graciously took. She ended up almost nose to nose with him. The teacher chose that exact moment to speak.

"Today, we are going to have a tournament. The winner will not have to participate in any tests this week. As you all know, Richard Grayson is our reigning champion. If you are skilled enough to beat everyone else, then you get a chance to fight Grayson. You know the rules. The first to manage to knock their opponent off their feet three times wins."

Kori rolled her eyes. The teacher acted like it was such a big honor to fight him. It really wasn't that serious, right?

The teacher cleared his throat, "First up is our newcomer Star. And she will be up against Ryan Coleman."

They both stepped up to that mat and shook hands. Ryan seemed to keep his grip longer than what was required. He looked at her with interest.

"I won't go easy on you, but maybe after this we could talk?"

Kori rolled her eyes. "Do not think that this will be so easy."

They stepped back and bowed. Kori immediately switched into a defensive stance, waiting for her opponent to attack. He looked utterly bewildered at having to attack first, but seeing that Kori wouldn't back down, he aimed a punch at her mid section. She easily grabbed his arm and flipped him over on the mat. He grunted in pain and attempted to grab her legs so that she'd fall with him, but she was too quick. She took a step back.

Ryan looked surprised that she actually knew what she was doing. He mimicked her by switching into a defensive stance. Kori ran in for an attack, but surprised him once again when she got on the ground and swung her foot at his legs. He tried to jump but reacted too late. She had pinned him down twice.

Richard watched her pin Ryan down for a third time in awe. Who would have thought that Summers could fight like that? He would have to watch out for that one...

Kori had obviously awed the teacher as well because it appeared that he was in a daze as well.

"KO! The winner is Star!"

"Nice job, Ryan." Kori said.

Ryan seemed to look at her in a new light, "Wow! You beat me ...Good job."

Kori smiled, "Thanks."

Richard's hand was locked in a fist so tight that he could have sworn that he drew blood. Why was Ryan even talking to her? Didn't he know that he was the only one that was allowed to do that? He'd never felt this _jealous_ before...

Jealous of what?

He definitely didn't like Summers. Absolutely not. But as he observed her chatting it up with Ryan, flipping her hair flirtatiously, and flashing absolutely genuine smiles, the green-eyed monster reared it's ugly head.

He stormed over in their direction.

"Don't you think you guys should clear the area? Another match is about to begin." Richard hissed. He grabbed Kori's hand and dragged her with him to his previous spot.

Kori yanked her hand from his grasp,"What do you think you are doing?"

Richard returned her unfaltering glare. "If it isn't already obvious what this guy wants from you, than maybe you're dumber than I thought."

She looked confused. "What in the world are you talking about?"

Richard pointed to Ryan."That guy is notorious for messing with girls. If I were you I'd stay away from him."

Kori looked grateful, "Thanks for looking out for me."

Richard shrugged. "Just saving you from your own stupidity."

Kori punched his shoulder playfully. "Loser."

He smirked, "At least I keep my shirt on!"

She sighed, "You're never going to let that go are you?"

He shook his head. "Not on your life."

* * *

A/N: WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO! Thank you reviewers! Lots of love! Let me know what you think. Comments? Suggestions? No flames please! I don't know why but I always get the feeling that my chapters can make people fall asleep... just an author's insecurity I guess. Well, push that button already!


	4. Inside the Grayson Monsters Home

**Chapter Four:**

**Inside the Grayson Monster's home**

Richard and Kori were finally up. She'd defeated all of the boys in the class without much effort, but she needed to concentrate if she wanted to defeat Grayson.

The teacher beamed at them, "Okay, different rules this time. The first person to be knocked off their feet loses the match."

They both shook hands and then stepped back.

Kori stepped into a defensive stance, and waited for him to attack. But he was the first one that didn't fall for her trick. He too switched into a defensive stance, smirking back at her. Kori got very impatient and attacked him, but he side stepped her attack in a blink of an eye. She attacked him again and he sidestepped it again. She attacked him a third time and, right when he began to side step her attack, she hit him square in the chest causing him to fall to the ground.

"And the winner is Star!"

Kori offered her hand to Richard who grabbed it and pushed himself up.

Kori stepped really close to him and whispered, "I know that you let me win."

"I'm sorry. I don't hit girls."

Kori's eyes flashed. "I demand a rematch!"

Richard rolled his eyes. "I'm not listening to you anymore if you haven't noticed."

She growled. "You're such a prat..."

* * *

Kori was tired when she was walking home that day. She didn't eat anything that day and she was slightly delusional. She was lucky Richard happened to notice her.

He ran up to her "Summers! What the hell is wrong with you?"

Kori turned around to face him. "I am really tired and hungry... who are you?"

She leaned forward and fell onto his chest.

He shook his head. "Summers, you can barely walk and you're trying to get home on foot? And I thought you were crazy before."

She still hadn't gotten off his chest yet. "You smell like cake."

He rolled his eyes "Let me take you to my house so I don't have to deal with your idiocy any longer."

He lifted her onto his back and hooked his arms under her knees. "For someone with such a big mouth, you're really light."

She didn't respond and just laid her head on his neck, "I will love you forever if you give me some food."

Richard rolled his eyes again. "Whatever."

Richard had to keep diverting his attention from the way that her chest kept pressed against his back. "Um... so Summers..."

"Mmhmm," she murmurred, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"You know, when you don't talk, you're almost tolerable." Richard said with a smirk.

Kori kept her eyes closed. "Shut up you pompous ass."

Richard whistled. "Is this how you treat someone who's trying to be nice to you? I'd hate to see how you treat people who are mean to you."

"Are we there yet?" She asked.

"We are." Richard sighed. "Let's just hope that Uncle Wayne isn't here or he'll make some horrible joke about how we're dating or...something."

"And I can reassure him that nothing is going on between the two of us." She murmured.

Richard rang the doorbell and prayed that Alfred was the one who would answer the door. He heard footsteps and the doorknob twisting. The door opened to reveal...

That his prayers had not been answered.

Bruce Wayne was under the door frame with a rather perplexed and amused expression.

"So Richard, it seems that you have been doing fine since I've been gone."

Kori's eyes widened. "You're Bruce Wayne! I think you've misinterpreted the situation, Mr Wayne. Your nephew just took my to his house because I don't have enough strength to walk home."

He looked at her strangely before approving her explanation, "You're welcome here anytime Miss..."

She held out her hand, which was a huge feat since she was still on Richard's back.

"Summers. Star Summers."

He shook her hand. "Nice to meet you, Star."

* * *

Richard threw Kori on his bed none too gently.

"Hey watch it!" She exclaimed, "I'm already dizzy as it is."

Richard smirked. "Aw, poor baby."

Her eyes flashed with anger, "I really, really, despise-" She stopped talking when Richard began taking off his shirt.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

He threw his shirt on the bed. "I do believe that this is my room that you're in, therefore I make the rules."

Kori gulped. God, he had a nice body.

Richard noticed her staring at him.

"What Summers, like what you see?"

All such thoughts faded from her mind and she rolled her eyes. "Au contraire, I was just wondering how a weirdo like you finds the time to work out. I always thought you spent your free time making voodoo dolls."

Richard raised an eyebrow. "And you think _I'm _the weirdo?"

"Precisely." she said simply. "Now I would really appreciate it if you would put your shirt back on."

Richard shook his head. "I just thought I should take a leaf out of your book."

Kori narrowed her eyes. "At least I didn't do it on purpose."

Humor and amusement were evident in his eyes, "How can I be so sure about that?"

Kori shrugged, "Whatever, believe what you wish. I just want something to eat."

She jumped off the bed only to be engulfed by a wave of dizziness. She grasped on to the only object she could- and that just so happened to be the Grayson Monster himself.

Richard shook his head. "Geez Summers, is it that hard to keep your hands off me?"

"Not now, Grayson." she murmured into his chest.

He noticed how hot she was, temperature wise of course,"You're really sick, aren't you?"

She rolled her eyes. "You think?"

He shrugged, "I guess we could go get something to eat..."

* * *

Kori's eyes widened as soon as she entered Richard's kitchen. What the hell was he talking about getting_ something_ to eat?The selection was so wide, she could get anything that she wanted to eat! It amazed her to no end.

"Goodness Grayson! It is a wonder that you stay in shape when you're surrounded by all this food."

He shrugged. "Don't notice it after a while."

"Rich people." She scoffed.

Richard's eyes darkened, "It's not that I chose to live like this."

Kori remained silent. She didn't like the way that his eyes could show such malice. For that single moment she thought that he might actually be capable of murder. Maybe Terra was right... No! She wasn't about to believe that. Unless she heard it from Richard himself, she wasn't about to believe anything.

"Well, what do you want to eat?"

She licked her lips. "I just want some... ice cream."

He rolled his eyes, "Of all the things in this house, the only thing that you want is ice cream."

Kori narrowed her eyes, "What of it?"

He shrugged. "It's just strange."

"Whatever. I just want some ice cream, so hop to it Grayson," she tapped her feet impatiently. "I don't have all day so let's go!"

He looked at her strangely. "What makes you think that I'm going to get it?"

Kori feigned thoughtfulness,"Um I don't know... maybe it's because I'm your guest?"

"Alfred," he yelled, "My guest and I want some ice cream."

"Rich people." She scoffed again.

* * *

Richard and Kori sat by his gargantuan pool and ate their ice cream. Kori couldn't help feeling that something wasn't quite right here. Richard was acting... _nice_? It just didn't fit. He let her in his house, he gave her food, he had the most outrageously_ sexy_ body that she'd ever seen in her entire life...

_'Urgh! Why do these thoughts keep popping up in my head?'_

"Summers," Richard said suddenly, "Don't get the wrong idea. Just because I was nice to you today, doesn't meant that we're friends."

Kori felt her heart stop. "Why are you saying this to me? Why are you so bitter towards me? What have I done to you?"

His eyes flashed. "You act like you're a nice person, but deep inside your heart you have other intentions. I knew you wouldn't talk to me if you didn't have a reason."

Kori remained silent. In a way, he was right. She had to get close to him so that she could live again. Otherwise, she wouldn't bother... no that wasn't right! She knew that if the circumstances were different she would talk to him! She would try to be his friend.

'_Give up, Angel. Go back to your safe haven. Leave him to us. We'll take him where he belongs...'_ a voice chanted in her head.

Yes. She had to give in... she had to give up. Richard belonged to the demons... he deserved to go to hell. She should...

'_NO! I will not! Richard doesn't belong with them... He belongs with **me**!'_

'_You worthless girl...'_ the demon seethed.

Kori seemed to lose all strength as she fell face forward in the pool.

* * *

Richard was as confused as he was horrified. He knew that he shouldn't have said anything, but it was as if he just couldn't control his mouth once it started to move.

He jumped in after her and located her body in a split-second. He grabbed her and swam to the surface without much difficulty. He climbed over the rim of the swimming pool and pulled her up with him.

He looked at her for a moment. She was unlike any girl he'd ever met. But, there was something wrong with her. Something odd, and he couldn't put his finger on it.

Richard felt her hand for a pulse. It was there, beating strong. But it wouldn't hurt to give her mouth to mouth would it?

He leaned forward, afraid that she was going to awake at any moment. He kept moving closer until he closed the gap between their lips.

Her lips were soft and she tasted like strawberries. He knew that he shouldn't be doing this... what if she were to...

Damn.

Kori slowly opened her eyes to find Richard on top of her. At first she misinterpreted the situation, but then she remembered that she'd fallen into the pool.

"Richard, I am awake." She murmured. " You can get off me now."

He jumped off her, as though burned.

"Of course... I wouldn't have been on you in the first place it he hadn't fallen in the pool," he smirked, "What kind of idiot falls in the pool?"

'_If he thinks he's going to get away with that, he's got another thing coming.'_

Kori gave him an impish smile. "My shirt is so wet, Richard, " she moaned, "Would you take it off for me?"

Richard gulped, but did as she asked. He wished that he hadn't though, because now all the composure that he had previously had diminished.

"Oh! I am still freezing..." she crawled over to him, "Lend me some of your body warmth, _Richard_."

She didn't wait for him to oblige, and she sat so that she was facing him in his lap, "I was so scared Richard! Hold me..."

His arms automatically wrapped around her waist.

_'Damn hormones.'_

She took this opportunity to push him over roughly, and sat on his stomach, "Hah! That's what you get Grayson!"

Richard smirked, "Is that all you got, Summers?" He flipped her over in no time, and sat on her stomach, "Whose in control now?"

She struggled under him, "Ow! Get off me! You are going to kill me, Grayson."

He shrugged. "That was the idea."

She had an idea,"Let me go or... I'll scream rape!"

Richard thought she was bluffing,"You wouldn't."

She opened her mouth wide, "RAPE! RAPE! R-A-P-E!"

He covered her mouth with his hand, "Shut up! My uncle will hear you and he'll think something's happening down here!"

She didn't seem to care, "RAPE! RAPE! RA-"

There was only one way to make her shut up...

He kissed her.

* * *

I'm BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK! Smiles maniacally Leave me a review if you want a quick update! Tell me what you honestly think. I know this chapter was a little more saucy, but... I hope it didn't bother you. If it did, I'll tune it down a little bit.

Andi-chan


	5. Return of the X

Authoress Note: Ok, sorry about the um... sauciness of the last chapter, but it was absolutely necessary. I promised that if people complained that I would tone it down, so here we go.

Chapter Five:

Return of the X

It took Kori a while to register what was actually happening. She'd felt this sensation before, but it hadn't felt quite like what she was feeling right now. The kisses that she shared with X were raunchy and fueled by desire. This kiss was soft and sweet, but it was fueled by something else that she couldn't place. She could feel it radiating in through her body and soul, filling a void that had been empty for all this time. She'd never felt this way with X. It was a completely different experience, it was absolutely wonderful, it was...

Totally _wrong_.

She had a boyfriend that she loved so much, and here she was kissing some guy that she'd only known for about a week. She felt so ashamed that she abruptly ended the kiss and wriggled away from under him.

She took a sharp breath before beginning.

"Richard, I can not do this. You see, the thing is, I have a boyfriend and I can not just kiss anyone that I please..." she paused to take a breath. "I hope that you can understand."

Richard felt as though he had been slapped in the face. **Hard**. Of course! He was an idiot! Someone as attractive as Star wasn't going to be single. He felt as though he had been played for a fool.

"Oh." he said the impenetrable wall blocking all his emotions once again, "What makes you think that I even like you anyways? I just kissed you so you would shut the hell up."

Kori felt like her world had just crashed down on her. He didn't like her.

"Of course. But promise me that this will not ruin our friendship, Richard."

'_If you can even call it that.'_

He looked at her coldly, "What friendship?"

Kori found herself choking on the truth that he'd just revealed. They weren't friends. They were _never_ friends.

"Right. What friendship?" She picked up her shirt and put it on, Trying her best to stop the tears from falling, "I'm leaving."

Richard shrugged. "I don't care."

"Then I guess I'll see you at school." She said briskly not even waiting for a response as she walked into his house and out the door.

The moment that she stepped outside her house, she broke down and started crying. She didn't know why she was crying, but it felt _damn_ good. It had been a while since she had shed a tear. The last time that she cried was when...

Kori shook her head. She wouldn't think of that. She had had enough drama for one day. She didn't need to add to the list.

She kept thinking about what Richard had said and she felt her heart wrench. How could he just shove her away like that? It wasn't as though she had told him that she was single, he_ insinuated_ it! She didn't know why it was such a big deal. He didn't like her, did he?

Kori stopped walking for a minute to think of the absolute absurdity of that. It was preposterous! He would never like someone like her. He was only mad at her because, because...

Why was he mad at her?

That was a _damn _good question. He had absolutely no reason whatsoever to be mad at her. She had considered him her friend. Her really hot, but off-limits, friend. The powerful attraction that she had for him was purely physical. He didn't have any other attributes that she'd noticed other then the fact that he was extremely intelligent. She barely knew him, and she was crying for him.

She wiped her tears with the back of her now chlorine-drenched shirt and came up with a new objective.

Get to know Richard Grayson as a friend and nothing more.

* * *

Kori walked down the hallway looking around for the infamous Grayson Monster. It didn't take her long to spot him. Because, well, he wasn't exactly inconspicuous. She walked slowly to him wondering what she was going to say. She could only imagine:

_ "Hey Richard, sorry I never told you that I had a boyfriend and I hope you don't hate me too much. Oh yeah, The reason I can't tell you anything about my life is because I'm your guardian angel. Oh, and I think you are hot."_

She was basically about to make a big fool of herself.

She tapped him on his shoulder. He turned around, but when he realized who it was his eyes held no emotion.

Kori flinched. "Listen Grayson. I'm sorry I didn't tell you that I had a boyfriend, but I honestly didn't think it would have made that much of a difference. I thought that you were a good friend, but if you can just hate me because I made one mistake, then I guess considering you as a friend was stupid."

She waited for his response, but when she didn't get one she sighed and turned to walk away.

Richard spoke up, "Summers, I'm not mad. It's just that... I felt used. I know telling me that you had a boyfriend shouldn't have bothered me too much, but it did. All those people who became friends with me before you always wanted something from me. I was just being stupid is all."

'_No, actually you're right. I'm using you. And I feel horrible for it. But it's also for your own good.'_

"Um, well. I guess I will see you in class then..." Kori suddenly found the dots on the floor immensely intriguing.

He closed the door to his locker and faced her. "We're going to the same place right? Let me walk with you."

Kori gulped. He smelled like cocoa. They were so close together that if she just leaned in she could... she could...

'_God, I am in deep.'_

GA

Kori was walking to lunch when she spotted Raven, Garfield, and some other burly guy that she didn't know. She was walking over to their table. "Hey, do you guys mind of I sit here?"

"No, of course not," said the burly guy, "I'm Victor Stone by the way."

She liked him already.

"I am Star Summers."

She sat down next to Victor. "So do you guys ever wonder why Rich- I mean Grayson sits over there by himself at lunch?"

Victor's blue eyes darkened at the mention of his name. "That guy is a major pain in the ass. He thinks he's the only one who exists. No one else seems to matter."

"He's a major loner who doesn't even try to make friends. He used to be really popular until he murdered that girl." Garfield added.

Kori shook her head in denial, "Ri- Grayson is not a bad guy... I can't believe that he would ever do that!" Kori said in an intense whisper.

Raven looked up from her book, "Well you better believe it because it happened and there's nothing that can be done about it."

Kori felt defeated. "Victor? Do you know exactly what happened?"

Victor leaned in and lowered his voice to a whisper, "Yeah. The girl had tried to sit in his lap and he slit her throat. End of story."

Kori shook her head, "But you were not there so you do not know if it really even happened! I will not believe it unless it's coming form Grayson himself."

Victor put his hands in front of him in defense, "Ok, ok. I get the picture. I don't know why you're so worked up about it anyway."

Kori narrowed her eyes. "This is his reputation that is being tarnished, and if this is a mere rumor then I do not think he should be judged based on that."

She looked at Victor, but he wasn't paying attention to her any more. He was staring at something. Kori followed his gaze to a girl. Kori noticed immediately that she was very pretty and had a figure that most girls would kill to have. She had clear cocoa skin and the prettiest brown eyes that she'd ever seen. Her dark brown hair was in curls cascading down her back.

She looked back at Victor whose mouth was wide open, "I do not think that she will find your drooling very attractive."

He closed his mouth and glared at her. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

Kori rolled her eyes. It means that you like her! What's her name?"

Victor shook his head and started laughing. "Girl, what are you talking about? Her name is Britney Bee, but most people just call her Bee. And of course I don't like her. She's the most aggravating person I've ever met."

Kori decided to ignore him. She knew what that meant. He liked her whether he wanted to admit it or not.

'_Denial is often the first step to admittance.'_

Little did she know, this applied to her as well.

* * *

Kori was so bored that she wanted to kill herself. She probably would have, except for the fact that she was already dead. So instead, she opted for banging her head quietly against her desk.

"Miss Summers?" The teacher asked, one eyebrow raised in amusement, "Can you answer the question?"

Kori ceased he antics to look up at the teacher with boredom. "Altruism is the theory in which there is no human kindness. Humans do things for one reason: to benefit themselves."

"Very good Star! Now tell me, do you agree with this study?"

Kori shook her head "No. I strongly disagree. I do not believe that people are so selfish. How can this be true when a father will do anything to save his children? Or friends will help each other out when they need it?"

"Ok, does anyone disagree?"

Richard was the only one who raised her hand. The teacher was surprised because Richard had never shown any interest in class discussions thus far.

"Yes, Mr. Grayson?"

"I agree with this theory. The reason that a man or woman will do anything to save their children is because their children are vessels for their genes. The reason why friends help each other out is because they want the other friend to feel indebted to them. Human beings aren't perfect, I think they are quite the opposite in fact."

Kori shook her head, "You can not always be so cynical about life! Not every one is as cruel as you think!"

"Miss Summers! Please don't speak out of turn." The teacher said sternly.

Kori sat back in her chair and became disinterested once again.

GA

Brring!

Seventh period was over and Kori couldn't be happier! She wanted to go home so bad! She gathered her things and hurried to get of the classroom as fast as she possibly could. Just as she reached the doorframe, she felt someone pull her back into the classroom.

She turned around to face Richard. He had no particular expression on his face, but his eyes were staring at her with a burning intensity. His eyes were definitely his best features. They were deep pools of azure. They were alluring and mysterious at the same time. Kori could gaze into his eyes forever.

He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers ever so gently. She never wanted him to stop...

"Summers?"

She could hear a voice coming from somewhere but she didn't want to listen...

"Summers?"

Kori awoke from her daydream and sleepily looked around. The classroom was empty and she was the only student left. She looked up to see who was talking to her...

Only to find that she was looking into the very eyes that she was just fantasizing about

Richard shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "God Summers! Did you know that you could probably sleep through World War III?"

Ugh. And she was fantasizing about him because?

Kori ignored his comment and stood up. She gathered her things quickly and attempted to rush out of the classroom.

"Summers. We have an assignment due and you're my partner. Be at my house tomorrow at seven and I'll give you the details." He said before he gave her a smirk. "Try not to fall asleep."

Kori clenched he fist before walking out of the classroom without acknowledging him.

GA

Just as Kori made her way out of the front doors of the school, she caught sight of something that made her breath hitch up in her throat.

There he was in all his tanned glory, leaning against one of the school walls. She stared into the amber eyes that she'd missed so much. He looked longingly at his dirty blond hair and wanted to run her hands through it once again. She remembered every thing about him, his muscular form, his sexy smirk, and even his stifling overconfidence.

They gazed into each other's eyes until his husky voice broke the silence and reached her ears.

"Hey Kor."

X.

* * *

And Cut! Hey! It's Andi-chan here! Sorry for the long wait, but my server has been down! And I just wanted to kill this damn computer! Hehehe sorry... A little carried away. But please tell you what you think! I really want to hear your opinions! See you next chapter!


	6. Bee's Broken Heart

Guardian Angel: Chapter Six

Bee's Broken Heart

Those two simple words knocked the breath right out of her. She was immobilized by her shock. He looked as though he had never been ain an accident at all! Completely untouched and absolutely perfect, down to the feature. He looked as majestic as a Greek God.

"Kor? Are you there?"

Suddenly something snapped within her. Her overly heavy backpack slipped of her slacked shoulders and hit the ground. She ran to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, afraid to let go. She didn't care how he got here, she just never wanted him to leave. He filled the void that seemed to have grown bigger since she took on the ordeal. He completed her.

She pulled his head down and kissed him with all that she had. He surprisingly didn't respond immediately. He was hesitant? Now this was new. However, Kori's boundless happiness had overshadowed her better judgement. They say ignorance is bliss...

This was the second cliche that applied to her afterlife.

GA

Richard, as it just so happens, had just gone to his locker and was making his way out of the school. He just had the feeling that something wasn't right. He normally shrugged off such a feeling, but today the feeling was so overbearing. He looked around the front of the school just to make sure. What he saw made him wish that he had just looked straight ahead.

He saw Kori and some guy on one of the school walls kissing like there was no tomorrow. There was something about the aggressive and demanding persona that she was kissing that made him want to just jerk her out of his arms and pull her in his own. Was this the so called boyfriend that she claimed to love so much?

He couldn't stand and watch any longer. This was her life and she could dictate it in whatever way that she chose. Who was he to try to change that?

Richard put his hands in his pockets and walked away, trying unsuccessfully to erase the disturbing image out of his mind. He didn't know why he even cared. Why did he care for her well being at all. Wasn't he the infamous uncaring bastard? The "Grayson Monster"? The murderous... No! Of course he wasn't a murderer. He didn't even know why that idea even crossed his mind, and he certainly didn't want to take that long stroll down memory lane.

There was something about that boy that was vaguely familiar. He knew that he'd seen him before. He'd talked to him or even knew him, but he'd seen him. When had he seen...

His eyes widened. He thought back to that time that he was in his room and that image of the totaled car had someway wormed it's way into his mind. He remembered the graphic image of Star. He'd payed so much attention to her that he didn't pay any attention to the passenger of the car. He'd had his arm around Star, and they both had a look of horror on their faces.

He could feel the bile rising in his throat as the vivid image still stayed fresh in his mind. What the hell did this mean? If they were in a car crash, then why did it involve him? And why were they still alive?

Richard didn't know, but he was determined to find out.

GA

After about ten minutes they broke apart. Kori just basked in his embrace, never wanting to let go. But she knew that she had to confront him at sometime.

She reluctantly broke away from his welcoming arms, " X. Where have you been? Why are you here? If you survived how come you didn't come and look for me? Do I not matter to you at all."

He sighed, "Kori, this situation is much more complicated then I can bear. I've been appointed as guardian angel to some pathetic girl who can't take care of herself. I didn't even know that we were assigned to the same region. You don't know how much I've missed you, Kor."

Kori had a feeling that he was lying to her. Something inside of her told her not to listen to him. Something wasn't right here. But she could care less. X was back. They were back together and nothing could ever tear them apart.

Except for her overwhelming amount of schoolwork.

She looked at him adoringly yet was searching his eyes for something, "X. I need to go home now. I have homework and I-"

He pressed his finger to her lips to silence her. "Say no more. I'll see you here tomorrow after school."

Her shoulders sagged. Couldn't he walk her home or perhaps offer to help her with her homework? This wasn't the X that she knew. He could usually sense when she was hurting or when she needed him. She hadn't seen him for a whole month! But then again she was tired, and a little agitated thanks to a certain blue-eyed monster. Her senses were probably clouded.

She looked up at him, her eyes shrouded with doubt, "You promise?"

He leaned in so that she could feel his hot breath on her ear, "I promise."

GA

X watched her figure grow more distant as she made her way home. He shook his head and walked in the opposite direction. Now back to buisiness. He had to address the real reason that he'd come here. He had an appointment with another person assigned to this region and she was late.

He heard footsteps behind him and suddenly felt two hands snake around his waist. He turned around to face her. "So you decided to show after all."

She smiled and proceeded to press her lips against his roughly. He responded immediately wrapping his arms around her waist. It was ego-inflating that even though he was the walking dead, he still had the ability to charm women. He inwardly smirked they were both so blind to see that he was just using the both of them for his own selfish purposes.

They broke apart reluctantly. "You know the plan, right?"

X nodded and then smirked evilly, "Damn right I do."

GA

Kori was depressed. Why was X so distant? He was never like this before! She used to be his everything and vice-versa!

She growled in frustration. How could see still be the same after death, but he could change so quickly.

Kori shook her head. She was being ungrateful. There must have been some reason that X was acting this way. She was sure there was some reasonable explanation for his behavior. Kori was to immersed in her thoughts that she didn't notice that she was about to collide with another troubled individual. She noticed too soon, and the two of them fell to the ground.

Kori helped the person to their feet, but didn't look up, "I'm so sorry! I did not know that you were there! I guess I was not looking where I was going. I am so absent minded, I-"

"Woah girl! Calm down it's ok! It happens to everyone."

Kori lifted her head to see that she was looking into the beautiful brown eyes of Britney Bee. "I have seen you around the school. I'm Star Summers." She held out her hand for her to shake.

The girl shook her hand and Kori winced. She was a small girl but her grip was unbelievably strong, "I'm Britney Bee, but I'm sure that you've heard of me by now from Sparky."

Kori blinked in a confused manner, "Sparky?"

Bee laughed, "Long story girl, but if you've got time we can talk over some food."

Kori's eyes brightened. _'Food is exactly what I need. If I am to ever figure X out, I might as well do it on a full stomach!'_

GA

Kori giggled, "So, you call him Sparky because he tried to fix some girl's car but got shocked?"

Bee sighed, "Yeah. You should have seen his face! It was classic! I'm glad that he didn't go out with that sl- I mean girl anyways. I would have been way too possessive."

Kori looked at her slyly, "Why would you be possessive?"

Bee looked at her incredulously, "Why? It's because I-" her eyes narrowed suspiciously, "You have to promise me that you won't tell anyone about this!"

Kori nodded. "I promise."

"Alright. I've known Vic since were toddlers. He's always been there for me since as long as I can remember. But before high school I never thought much of him." She broke off and got a dreamy expression on her face. "In the summer of eight grade I went to cheer camp, so I didn't see him until the first day of ninth grade. When I saw him I swear that my heart stopped. He'd lost the braces and glasses and had done some weight lifting. He looked completely different. But even so, he was still the little geeky boy that was my best friend..." Bee broke off.

Kori wanted her to continue her story, "So what happened after that?"

Bee sighed, "Well, he became a 'chic magnet' and started to distance himself from me. I guess I was just too childish for him. But we were still friends. Until one day when his girlfriend accused me of slapping her." Bee's eyes darkened, "It wasn't true of course. She had slapped me and cried to make it look like I had slapped her. Of course I didn't cry, I almost never cry. I told him what happened, and he didn't believe me. I'll never forget that cold look that he had on his face when he said that I was a jealous monster. That bastard called _me_ a monster! So our friendship ended that day and there has been animosity between us since then. But... I guess I still love him, even though he hurt me bad."

Kori looked confused, "But I don't get how your friendship could crumble after just one small misunderstanding."

Bee smiled, "I guess both of us are too stubborn for our own good. I knew I was right and I stood my ground. Even though Vic know he was wrong, he didn't admit it." Bee looked at her watch and her eyes widened, "Look girl, I've got to run. I've got Karate soon. It was nice talking to you, we should do this again sometime!"

Kori watched her as she ran out of the door. She felt bad for her. How could Victor be so cruel? How could he deliberately hurt one who was so close to him? Kori shook her head. She would never understand men!

GA

Raven sighed. She was so lethargic lately but she couldn't figure out why. Her duty as a seer were finally taking its toll on her biological clock. She should have never accepted such a duty. But if she would have known the consequences she would have never-

She shook her head. Even if she did know the consequences she would have done it. If she hadn't then Garfield would have been dead, and she couldn't live with herself if she ever let that happen.

I suppose I should explain what her duties are. You see, Raven was given the power to see what's yet to come. She can see people's near future by just touching them. But her power only works sometimes, and usually unexpectedly. Her duty is not to tamper with the future...

Of course every now and then she would break the rules.

Raven wanted to get up, but she couldn't do so because Garfield had fallen asleep with his head in her lap. Normally she would have shoved him off and told him to go home, but she couldn't quite do that today. She had no idea why but she felt strangely right in the position that they were in. Garfield had come to work on their language arts project, and while she was talking he'd asked her if he could borrow her lap. She'd said no, but he'd already laid his head on her lap and dosed off.

She ran her hands through his hair. It was so soft like silk. She didn't mind it's green tint anymore. Though she hated the reason that he'd dyed it.

_Terra_.

Her nose wrinkled in disdain at her wretched name. She hated her. She was the one who'd taken Garfield away from her-

Her eyes widened. What was wrong with her today? Why was she thinking these unorthodox thoughts? She blamed it all on delirium. There was nothing that a little nap couldn't fix, right?

However, she was wrong.

TBC...

Not much action here. But I hoped you like the chapter. Please tell me your honest opinions. If you are confused feel free to ask questions in your reviews, because I would be glad to answer them. See you next chapter! Ja ne!


	7. Dream Dilemma

Ok. I'm so mad right now! Everyone has seen the episode "Stranded" Except for Moi! And that has the be the most awesome Rob/Star episode ever! sigh Gawd! I'm going to have to find out when it comes on again... well here's chapter 7! Oh, and I warn you, this chapter is Raven centered at the beginning so if you don't like Raven, I'm sorry. (Raven is one of my favorite characters so I'd be surprised if someone didn't like her...)

Chapter Seven: Guardian Angel

Dream Dilemma

Raven was having a very strange dream indeed. She was walking down a long dark hallway, and she could feel her body walking forward without her consent. Suddenly she felt her body stop in it's tracks. She looked up to see that she was in front of a wooden door. She could feel her hand grasp the cold metal doorknob and turn it slowly. As the door opened she could feel a cold gust of air hit her body and send shivers down her spine. She felt fear and apprehension build up uncomfortably in her chest.

Through the open door she saw two familiar figures: Richard Grayson and Star Summers. Her eyes widened as that scene unfolded in front of her eyes. Star had a look of regret on her face and two new assets adorned her form: A halo an a set of wings. Richard was looking at her with horror and betrayal in his deep blue eyes

"Richard Grayson. I am your Guardian Angel." Raven heard Star say. Her voice wasn't the same. It was majestic and commanding at the same time.

Richard regained his composure as quickly as he had lost it. "Surprise, Surprise. I was one step ahead of you the whole time. So this is why you chose to be my friend. It was your duty."

Star didn't even blink an eye at his sudden frigid tone. "Yes and no. I got to know you because I _wanted _to. You were the one who pulled me out of my reclusive shell. You made me realize that my life before you was hardly a life at all. And for that I-"

Before she could utter another word a ice blue dagger was plunged into her side. Her wings and halo disappeared. Star's eyes widened as she fell to the ground. Her bright green eyes shined with pain and adoration at the same time. "Richard, I can't make your decisions for you. But I trust you know the difference between right and wrong." Her eyes closed, but not before a single tear slid down her cheek.

"Star! " He knelled down in front of her, and held her in his arms. He stared down at the dagger in her side. He knew that dagger well, but it was never in his possession. Richard's expression was malicious as he looked not at Star but at the figure above her. "Megan Aterrell. And all this time, I thought you were dead."

The figure laughed, "Damn right I am. But don't worry baby, soon you will be too."

The door to the future closed and signaled the end of Raven's dream.

GA

Raven woke up abruptly from her very disturbing dream. She was so confused. No she was more than confused, she was utterly bewildered. Since when was she able to see the future with out touching people. She'd never had a dream that foretold the future before. She knew what this meant. She'd been warned about this when she had decided to take on this duty.

"_Logan! You'd better let go of my hand right now! Where are you taking me?" A wide eyed twelve year old Raven cried. Garfield had grabbed her hand and was running- dragging her along with him._

"_It's a surprise, Rae!" Garfield shouted from in front of her._

_Raven rolled her eyes, "How many times have I told you not to call me that."_

"_Only Six hundred thirty-two times."_

"_You actually counted. You're such a loser, Logan." Raven rolled her eyes again._

_Garfield stopped in his tracks. His eyes softened as he looked at her. "I know you don't mean that Rae."_

_Raven shook her head. "God, Logan. Since when did you get so sensitive?"_

"_Since I-" He hadn't noticed that he'd stopped in the middle of the road. But he sure as hell noticed the car speeding towards Raven. "Get out of the way!" He shouted at her._

_Raven's pupils dilated and her feet were somehow frozen to the ground. She couldn't move. Garfield noticed this and took action. He pushed Raven out of the way._

_Raven watched with horror as the speeding car hit Garfield and drove away. She stared at his lifeless body with dread. She didn't even have to check his pulse to know that he was dead. She could see it in his eyes._

"_**GAR-FIELD**!" She screamed with agony. She crawled over to him and cradled his head in her arms. "This isn't funny!" She knew that she wouldn't receive an answer. He was gone._

_She could feel the tears well up in her eyes and make their way down her cheeks, but she didn't care. She wanted her best friend back._

"_Raven."_

_She heard the voice and looked up. She saw a girl with pink hair and gothic looking clothes looking at her with pity. It took Raven a while to find her voice, "Who are you?"_

"_I'm the Grim Reaper. I'm here for the boy's soul."_

_Raven shook her head. Her eyes were shining with determination. "I won't let you take him!"_

_The reaper laughed dryly, "You don't have the power to determine that little girl."_

"_Please! Take me instead of him..." Raven pleaded._

_The reaper looked shocked as though she had come to a new revelation, "You're not even supposed to be able to see me. Unless..."_

"_Unless what?"_

"_I shall let the boy live, on one condition."_

_Raven looked hopeful, "What is it? I'll do anything!"_

"_You have to accept your duty as a seer."_

_Raven looked confused. "Ok...ay?"_

_The reaper smirked, "You'll understand soon. Now listen. On your fifth year as a seer you will have a vision in the from of a dream. But you must not interfere, understood?"_

_Raven nodded._

Raven remembered it all very well. It made perfect sense. But what was she supposed to do? She wasn't allowed to unveil the future to anyone. It was strictly against her rules. She'd broken the rules before of course, but it wasn't for something this serious. She would just have to keep a watchful eye on Star and Grayson. That was the only thing that she could do****

"Rae?" Garfield called sleepily, "Did you know that you could sell yourself as the world's most comfortable pillow."

Raven rolled her eyes but blushed furiously, "And did you know that you could market yourself as the world's biggest moron."

Garfield smirked, "You know you love me Rae."

"I assure you that I don't. How could I ever love anyone who was stupid enough to go out with Terra?" She hissed

Garfield opened his eyes, "Calm down, Rae. I'm just joking."

She hit him on the head lightly,"You had better be joking. Don't ever say anything as ridiculous as that again, Logan."

"Is it really that ridiculous Rae?"

Before she could respond to his comment, he dozed off again.

GA

Kori was sitting on her bed pondering the many evils of the male race. She hated all men! She ticked the many iniquities of the males that she knew. Grayson for instance was an annoying bastard who thought of absolutely no one but himself. Victor had chosen his hysterical girlfriend over his supposed _best _friend. Xavier was acting shady and sketchy as of late. Garfield had, like Victor had forgotten all about his best friend and went for the big eyed blond! It didn't take a genius to see that the male race was flawed.

She suddenly found herself wondering if there was a time limit to this ordeal. She'd been so overjoyed at X's return that she had forgotten all about what she was supposed to be doing. What would happen to her if she failed.? She knew that there had to be some kind of punishment, right? She knew from the many supernatural movies that she'd watched that when you messed with the heavens you were usually condemned to eternal damnation.

Whoa. She had WAY too much time on her hands.

She shook her head, but when she did she caught sight of something that she hadn't noticed before. Another letter from Jinx.

She picked up the letter with dread. What was she trying to address now?

Kori ripped the letter open with growing anticipation.

Kori,

I am writing to inform you to watch your back. I know of two demons assigned to the same quadrant as you. I'm afraid that they might be assigned to Richard, and they will do _anything_ to come back to life. You may not be aware of it yet, but when you were given this ordeal, you were given powers as well. But it is your job to harness them, and figure out when to use them as well. I wish you the best of luck.

Jinx

P.S.: Expect the unexpected.

Kori threw her hands up in exasperation. Great! There were _two_ demons? Not only that she had powers! And what did she mean by expect the unexpected? Her head was spinning from all the new information. She was so confused. What was with the dark angel and her cryptic message?

Kori threw the letter down with a sigh. Was there anything about her afterlife that she could even remotely figure out?

GA

"Uncle Wayne?" Richard asked as he caught sight of his esteemed uncle, "I have to do a research project for school. Can I use the database at Wayne industries?"

His uncle's eyes darkened for a split second. "What kind of project requires the use of our state of the art technology?" He flashed a smirk, "What are you up to Richard?"

Damn. His uncle knew him too well. "Well there's this girl and-"

His uncle raised his eyebrow, "Is this the same girl who screamed rape and almost got me kicked out of this neighborhood?"

He nodded, "Yeah. I have a feeling that there's something weird about her.. But I can't put my finger on it."

"Well I am the boss, and I do pull all the strings... " He sighed. "I'll let you use them on Wednesday, but only for fifteen minutes. If anyone heard that I let a sixteen year old boy into my establishment I'd never hear the end of it."

"Deal."

'You just wait Summers. I'm going to find out your secret, whatever it is.'

GA

X looked at the sleeping blond next to him and smiled. Everything was going according to plan. Kori had no idea of his true intentions and that idiot Grayson was clueless of what was going on. He would soon live again and no longer feel tied to one girl. It wasn't like Kori had stopped him before. She was oblivious to the many nights that he had spent with her sister. He made himself out to look like a loving and caring boyfriend when in reality he was exactly the opposite.

The girl stirred and opened her big blue eyes in surprise while studying her surroundings with bewilderment. When she turned to X she got an impish glint in her eye and reached up to bury her hands in his dirty blond hair. "Hey. You know what's next right? Are you going to tell that bitch Kori to step aside?"

X inwardly groaned. What was it with girls and their need for commitment? She was being way too clingy and he was one who needed his space. But he didn't voice these thoughts out loud. Instead he smirked, "I still need her for this to work."

The girl's eyes narrowed, "Well then you better hurry up then. I don't think that I can share you any longer."

"Don't worry. You'll soon have your way Terra."

TBC...

MWAAHHAHHA! I'm oh so mean! Anyways leave one and I'll update faster! See you next chapter! (That rhymed...)

Andi Chan


	8. The Best of Times and the Worst of Times

**_Authoress note:_** Just to tell you guys right now, I'm not a Terra hater. Actually I like her a lot more than the Terra in the comics (but Maybe that's because Deathstroke (Slade) and Terra went at it... She was 16 and he was like 60! GROSS!) You'll find out later why I am portraying her like this.. But I think some of you might have figured it out already! Well here goes nothing!

Chapter 8

The Best of Times and the Worst of Times

Kori was once again stuck at home. They had closed school because there was some kind of chemical spill. Surprisingly, she actually wanted to go to school so that it would give her something to do. She'd spent the last hour thinking about X, and she needed to stop. She looked around the room to find something to occupy herself with. Her eyes landed on the television. She grabbed the remote and pressed POWER.

"Sugar, Spice and Everything nice. These were the ingredients chosen to create the perfect little girl. But Professor Utonium accidentally added an extra ingredient to the concoction: Chemical X..."

Ok bad choice. She changed the channel again. She was relieved to see that it was a music video channel and Mya's old video was on.

"And that was "Case of the X" by Mya-"

Kori rolled her eyes again. Now it was getting really annoying! She changed the channel once again and decided that the only channel that was the News.

"They've just discovered a new element in the periodic table. It hasn't been named so we'll just call it X for now-"

Kori had enough. She turned the television off and came to a new resolution.

She needed a new hobby.

GA

"Vic!" Victor's younger sister called as she jumped on his bed, "Wake up!"

"Kareena! It's my day off... Can you please leave me alone?" He pleaded, eyes still closed.

She shook her head vigorously, "No can do bro. Bee's here!"

Victor jumped out of his bed in a flash, "What do you mean she's here? Why would she be here?"

Kareena rolled her eyes, "Why don't you just quit asking questions and check for yourself?"

Victor briskly walked past his sister and walked towards the foyer. Sure enough, Bee was at the front door tapping her foot impatiently. She looked up when she heard foot steps. "So Sparky, you finally decided to get your ass out of bed?"

Victor scoffed, "Why are you here so early in the morning? I don't feel like dealing with you now."

"Well for one, eleven o'clock in the afternoon is hardly early." She looked at her fingernails," And plus you were the one who told me to come here so that we can work on our English project."

Victor kicked himself mentally for forgetting, "Oh. Right."

"So... where should we do it?"

He looked alarmed, "Do... what?"

Bee threw her hands in the air in exasperation, "We just went over this. The project!"

He let out a breath that he didn't know he'd been holding. "Oh... um, I guess we can go in my room..."

She patted him on the back,"Loosen up Sparky. I don't bite, I just sting, remember?"

He walked in front of her, "Yeah."

They walked in silence up the stairs, unaware that both of them were thinking the same thing._ 'Why did this have to happen to us?'_

GA

Richard pulled his hat down further to cover his eyes. His uncle warned him that he shouldn't get to close to anyone in case they recognized him. He was going to push the envelope on his uncle's former time limit. Why? Because he had a lot of time on his hands due to the cancellation of school due to an _accidental _chemical spill. You do catch my drift, right?

He made it to the computer room with out much trouble, and I was happy to find that no one was there. He quickly sat down and moved the mouse around a little bit. The computer responded quickly.

Wayne industries was also known for having the most extensive database in the country. Every person who live in the United States could be found by using the computers. Feeling hopeful he typed in Star Summers in the SEARCH box and pressed enter. He waited. What he saw shocked him. There were no results. None at all. What was up with that?

Unless...

But that didn't make sense at all! Why would she want to go under a different name? And how was he going to find her? There had to be like 6.5 million names in the database, and he had no clue what to type in next. Although Richard Grayson wasn't one to give up easily, he had to admit that he was stumped. He ran his hands through his hair in aggravation. He'd went through all this trouble for nothing!

He stood up, shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his jacket, and made his way out of the computer room. There was only one way that he could get some answers, and that was from 'Star' herself. He suddenly thought of their seven o'clock meeting for the English project; the perfect time to interrogate her.

He was so into his thoughts that he didn't anticipate crashing into something.

Correction: Someone.

When he looked down he found himself gazing into the big blue eyes of Terra Magellan- A.K.A The annoying big-mouthed blond. But what in the hell was she doing in his uncle's establishment? No, the better question was how the hell did she_ get_ in her uncle's establishment? Unauthorized personnel weren't allowed in the building. He was the only exception- being that he was closely related to the CEO.

He regarded her with a cold glare, "Magellan. What the hell are you doing here? I get enough of you in school, I don't think I can handle seeing you on my day off."

However his frigid tone didn't daunt her in the slightest, "For your information Grayson I was given permission to come here and research."

"Somehow I don't believe you. But I'm through wasting my time with you." He turned around and walked towards the exit.

Terra felt her blood boil. Let him rot in hell! He deserved to go and she would make sure that he got there no matter what the circumstances. She smirked evilly. She would find pleasure in tainting his soul, and once she did, she and X could live again with no strings attached.

GA

Raven ran her hands through her amethyst locks in lethargy as she attempted to pay attention to their project. She almost laughed at how Garfield sat with rapt attention trying to understand the many requirements of their project. She could almost say that he looked adorable. Except that for the fact that 'adorable' wasn't exactly a word used in her daily vocabulary.

"Aw! Rae I don't understand this at _all_!" He whined.

Raven sighed. He had gone from adorable to just plain annoying in the span of three seconds. That just had to be some kind of world record. "Logan. Your whining is giving me a headache. If you could just shut up for a while I'd appreciate it."

"You know, you don't look so good Rae." He pressed his palm against her forehead. "You're running a fever!" His hand seemed to linger on her forehead for longer than necessary before he hesitantly took it off.

She rolled her eyes."Garfield. It's probably not even that serious. Let's work on the project so you'll be one step closer to leaving me alone!"

Before she could realize what was happening, Garfield lifted her up in his arms and carried her to her room. "What the hell do you think you're doing, Logan?"

He threw her on her bed, "I'm not sure. But I know that you're going to sleep."

She scoffed, "I'm not going to sleep."

He smiled evilly as he crawled into bed after her. "Of course you are." He snaked his hands around her waist, "And I'm not moving until you do."

A blush stained her cheeks, "Logan. You've got five seconds to let go of me!" She said through grated teeth, "One, two, three, four, five..." She tried to move around but his hold on her was way too tight. She was trapped.

But that was only the bad part of the situation. On the other hand she was basked in warmth being held by her long-time crush. There she admitted it! But she'd hidden it well over the years so that he wouldn't be able to notice. She might as well relish in his closeness so that she could gloat about it later.

Take that Terra!

GA

Kori was irritated. No she was beyond irritated, she was absolutely livid! It was already eight and that idiot still wasn't here. Why was he doing this to her? Where the hell was he-

Oh no.

"_Summers. We have an assignment due and you're my partner. Be at my house tomorrow at seven and I'll give you the details." He said before he gave her a smirk, "Try not to fall asleep."_

Damn. Damn. Damn. DAMN! How could she forget that he didn't know where she lived. He'd never even been to her house! She had to go _now_.

"Richard's going to_ kill_ me." She groaned.

Kori quickly put her clothes on and rushed out the door of the apartment as quickly as she could making sure to lock the door and not trip over any steps. It was already getting dark and she was unnerved because of her slight achluphobia. She didn't really like walking around by herself at night. But then again, who did?

Feeling a little spooked, she began to walk a little faster. She hugged her arms to her chest to fight the cold. She could hear light foot steps behind her so she walked even faster. The footsteps quickened as well. Finally she broke out in a full fledged run but her follower was too quick and grabbed her hand before she could run any further.

She tried to yank her hand out of the strong and firm gasp, but it was fruitless. She was whirled around to come face to face with the Grayson Monster. Never had she been so glad to see his scowling face! Kori then acted on impulse and hugged him.

"You have no idea what I was thinking. I thought you were a mugger or something!" She cried, digging her face in his shirt as she inhaled his cocoa sent inconspicuously.

Richard practically yanked her off of him. "First off, why the hell are you wandering the streets this late? And second, Why weren't you at my house at seven like I asked?"

Kori sheepishly put her hand behind her head. "I...um.. kind of forgot about it. I thought that you were supposed to meet me at my house. But eight I remembered that you didn't know where my house was and it was me that was supposed to meet you at your house..."

Richard rolled his eyes, "You're a basket case, did you know that? I have no idea what to do with you!"

Kori scoffed, "Hey reprimanding me is one thing, but that was a flat out insult!"

He ignored her and pulled her by her wrist in the direction of his house. " Now, thanks to you, our time's been cut even shorter. You know we only have three more says to finish this project."

Kori's eyes widened in disbelief, "_You_ actually care about your grade? And I thought I'd seen everything!"

He chose to ignore her comment, "Let's just get going so that we can finish this project. I can't bear seeing you more than I have too."

She narrowed her eyes, "The feeling's mutual."

They walked in awkward silence for a while, both of them thinking of completely different things. Kori was thinking about how annoying Richard was, while Richard was thinking about how to approach her about her name...and the weird tingling feeling that he was getting from their joined hands.

'_Stop it Richard, she's taken!'_

"Grayson? Are you sure we're going the right way? I know for a fact that your house isn't this far away from mine..."

He raised an eyebrow, "You don't think that I know where I'm going? I've only live there for- I don't' know- since I was five!"

Her bright green eyes flashed angrily"I know! But does this feel weird to you? I have this strange feeling that something isn't right here."

It was true. Ever since he'd seen her wandering around he'd had a eerie feeling of foreboding gradually growing in his chest. He'd kept his mouth shut because he didn't want to scare her. "I know what you mean, but I just think it's just our imagination."

Kori looked unconvinced but she shook her head. They kept walking and neither of them noticed their hands remained joined.

GA

"Ok, Sparky. I was thinking that for our play we should do a modern day Romeo and Juliet. What do you think about that?" she stretched to get the kinks out of her back. In result her shirt was raised several inches above her waist.

He gulped before thinking about her proposal for a second. It was an awfully good idea and he probably wouldn't think of anything better. But he wasn't sure if he was saying this because he actually thought it was a good idea, or if he was too focused on her exposed midriff to care. "Yea. That's a good idea."

Bee narrowed her eyes, "What's up with you today? You agreed with everything I've said. We haven't argued or fought about anything." She tentatively pressed her hand to his forehead, "Are you feeling alright?"

He closed his eyes and basked in the warmth of her hand. "I'm fine..."

She narrowed her eyes, "Because if you aren't I can go home right now and-"

She was interrupted but the polyphonic tune of his cell phone. He picked it up from the coffee table and flipped in open in one fluid motion. "Hello?"

"Vic!" The sharp and annoying tone of his girlfriend Lana cut through the air, " You stood me up! I've been waiting at the movie theater for a whole minute. Do you know what could have happened? The mist is going to ruin my perm!"

He rolled his eyes, "Lana! I told you. Me and Bee are working on our English project today."

He could feel her fake pout over the phone, "You'd rather hang out with that bitch than me?"

_Damn right I would._

"No. It's mandatory. You know I'd much rather be with you right now. She can't even hold a candle to you."

Bee's eyes widened. So he'd rather be somewhere else, huh. He thought that she was dull just because she wasn't some big-chested bimbo that threw herself at every guy that came her way like Lana. Although she knew it in her heart all along, it just hurt to hear it come out of his mouth.

"Aw that's so sweet! You have to make it up to me tomorrow, kay? I'll let you get on to your torture."

_The only torture I'm going through is listening to your voice._

"Bye."

"Are you quite done? Because if I recall, we have an assignment to finish." She said cooly.

He flinched at her sudden frigid tone, "Yeah."

She studied her fingernails,"Why do you even put up with that girl anyway? I mean she's so dense." She feigned a revelation, "Oh that's right. You wanted to impress your jock buddies with a trophy girl friend."

His eyes flashed dangerously, "Look. I don't think that's any of your damn buisiness! Just because you have to be an ice bitch all the time doesn't mean that the rest of us can't be normal!" The words were out of his mouth before he knew it and he desperately wanted to take them back.

She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes, but she stubbornly held them back. She wouldn't be hindered by his harsh words, "You're right. I'm _not _normal. But if being normal means that I have to act like you, I think I'll pass. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to get this project done so that I can go home."

They worked in silence, both of them wishing that they could be somewhere else.

GA

Raven opened her eyes to find that Garfield was gone. She pulled the covers off of her body but immediately regretted it when she was welcomed with a gust of wind. She slowly walked towards the kitchen to find that Garfield was cooking something. She groaned. This could _not_ be good.

He turned around to face her, "Rae, you shouldn't be up right now."

She rolled her eyes at his concern, "I'm fine Logan. What I'm really worried about is what you're cooking."

"I'm making soup! But without the chicken..." He involuntarily shuttered, "Totally organic!"

She groaned remembering his last disaster in her kitchen. She could still smell the tofu on the walls, floor, and ceiling. "I think I'll pass."

He sensed her hesitance, "Don't worry Rae, it's from the can."

This still failed to console her, but she relented none-the-less, "Alright. But if I die it'll be on your head."

He nodded.

"So, what are we going to do to about our project?"

He suddenly looked proud of himself, "Already taken care of. I did a more dramatized version of Macbeth."

Her eyes widened in disbelief, "I had no idea that you were so in to literature, Logan!"

He shrugged. "Not that big of a deal. But now we can chill and not worry about it so much, Rae. When is your mom coming back?"

Raven had completely forgotten about her mother. She gone on a business trip in Japan and wouldn't be back for another week. And her father... well she knew that there was no chance in hell that he'd ever come back. And she credited that as a good thing. "Not for another week."

"So you're going to be here all alone, Rae? Sure you can handle it?"

She noticed the teasing glint in his eye, "I'm not a baby, Logan."

"I beg to differ."

She rolled her eyes and hurled a cup at him "Shut up."

GA

"Terra, is everything ready for tonight?"

She looked up from her book. "Yes. I'm sure we'll get rid of the angel tonight. I've sent some of our strongest demons out tonight. There's no way that she'll get out of it."

X shook his head in disappointment. It was a shame really. He was looking forward to playing two girls at once again. But whatever the master said had to be done. And the sooner it was done, the sooner he could live again. He could easily find a way to find another girl to replace Kori. He was_ the_ X. He could have any girl he wanted. He couldn't help but feel a sliver of pity for the girl. They always said that life was a bitch, but death seemed to be one as well.

Terra sauntered over to him seductively licking her lips as she did so. "She needs to know that you belong to me and me alone, right."

He almost rolled his eyes. He belonged to no one! The girl was an idiot to even consider thinking that. She was nothing to him but a outlet for his emotions. But if that was the way that she wanted to be misled then so be it.

"Right." He drawled.

GA

Richard and Kori continued to walk towards his house. Neither of them were saying a word to each other still and it was slightly unnerving. "Richard I think that- what is that?" She said pointing to a red figure that was approaching them with growing speed. The figure was not alone, it was accompanied but at least a dozen more creatures.

Richard's eyes widened, "What the hell?"

"Demons." Kori whispered in shock.

TBC

Here's an extra long chapter for you faithful readers! What'd you think? Good? Bad? Horrible? Let me know! Remember, the more reviews the longer and quicker the chapter. Oh and U have a question for you. Who do you want to make an appearance in the later chapters?

Speedy, Black fire, Aqualad, or Ry'andr (Kori's brother, but his name would be just Ryan..)


	9. Down Memory Lane

Ok. So based on the votes, there was an obvious demand for Speedy and Black fire. I did consider giving them a huge role, but then I thought back to the numerous stories I've read where Speedy and Robin both compete for Star's affections and I also recall seeing Blackfire always trying to frame Star. So that leaves two more: Aqualad and Ry-andr and I choose... well you'll just have to wait and see. Oh and just because one has a MAJOR role doesn't mean that the rest won't have minor roles... Okay so I guess this is the perfect time to answer some questions.

**Why don't the demons look like X and Terra?**

_X and Terra are the demons that took on the ordeal, therefore they have to privilege of keeping their bodies. The rest aren't so lucky... _

**Why do you make up your own names instead of the names in the D.C. comics?**

_I know all about the D.C. comics. I know the whole story in fact because I've read them. I don't want you guys to be confused. Bumblebee's real name is Karen Beecher, Terra's real name is Tara Markov, and Robin's real name is Dick Grayson. I don't know about you , but I think that Richard sounds a lot better than Dick._

**What happened to Raven's father?**

_He- Hey! I'm not ready to give you that information yet!_

WARNING! This chapter has a some flashbacks so don't be surprised. And there is one part of this chapter that is pretty dark and kinda sad. Ok, here's chapter nine!

Chapter Nine

Down Memory Lane

The figures continued to march closer to them and Kori and Richard were frozen in shock. What were they going to do? Star didn't know how to harness her power, and Richard only knew martial arts. They were sitting ducks!

Richard shook his head to make sure that what he was seeing was actually real. It had to be some kind of trick. He knew such creatures didn't actually exist in the real world- only in the movies! He looked over at Star to see that she had her eyes closed and looked completely calm. What the hell was wrong with her, didn't she see the frightful creatures closing in on them? Wasn't she scared in the slightest?

Au contraire, Richard. She was exactly the opposite of calm. She had no idea what to do! They were powerless against the demons. This had to be the worst timing ever! She was trying to think of a solution to the problem, but she couldn't find one at all. She was going to kill Jinx next time she happened to appear in her room! She'd said that there were only two demons! Not Thirteen!

"Summers? Are you seeing what I'm seeing here or am I just delusional?"

She shook her head, "You're not delusional. I see them too, and there's only one way to get rid of them. We have to fight them!"

He was afraid that she was going to say that. How could he fight such creatures? But he had to admit, he had a better chance of survival if he fought than if he didn't. "Ok. Summers? Do you see the staffs and bow and arrow's they're holding? We have to get them from them. That's out only chance to get out of this!"

She nodded in agreement, "On the count of three, we charge. One, two, three!"

Both of them ran in different directions: Star ran to the left and Richard ran to the right. Richard attacked the demon with a high kick, but the demon only responded with a grunt. He attacked again, this time successfully grabbing the staff out of it's hand. He twirled the staff around in his hand, liking the feel of it. He then thrust the staff into the demon's chest and pulled it out. To his surprise, the demon fell on the ground with a crash and turned into a cloud of sinister looking black mist._ 'One down, twelve more to go.'_ he thought arrogantly and he proceeded to attack the next demon.

Kori on the other hand wasn't as lucky as him. The demons put up a good fight, having both agility and strength despite their bulky stature. Kori knew for a fact that this ambush was meant for her and only her. That was why Richard wasn't having as much trouble fighting as she was. Suddenly, five demons encircled her. She was trapped with no where to go and all of them were attacking her at once. She compared her options. Forfeit, grab a staff, or grab a bow and arrow. She went with option three. For some odd reason she could feel a surge of power and noticed a flicker of green light in her right hand. She shrugged it off and ran to the closest demon, kicked off it's chest and grabbed a couple arrows from his shaft. Then she plunged an arrow into the demon's heart and grabbed it's bow from it's arms. She wasn't in archery in her previous life for nothing.

GA

Once again there was an uncomfortable silence, both of them too stubborn to break the silence. Bee was writing up a storm, while Victor was just sitting there watching her. He suddenly became so annoyed that he just had to say something, "So are you just going to take all the credit for the play and not let me do anything?"

Bee rolled her eyes, "Don't worry, super jock. No matter how tempting it is, I won't mess up your grade. You'll still be the star of the football and wrestling teams."

"You know, I don't have such a one track mind Bee. I don't just think about sports. I think of other things as well." he said through grated teeth. _Like you._ He wanted to add.

She feigned surprise, "Oh really? I would never have guessed!"

He fought the anger rising in his chest. Who did she think she was? He wasn't going to let her talk to him like that! No one _ever_ talked to him like that!

She noticed his shocked expression and smirked, "Aw! Sparky's not used to being talked back to, is he? Well I'm sorry to break it to you, but I don't kiss anyone's ass."

His hands were clenched in such a tight fist that he could swear he was drawing blood. But he wasn't going to stoop to her level. She wasn't better than him and he wasn't going to give her that satisfaction. "Think what you want Bee. I just want to finish this so you can get the hell out of my house."

If she felt angry about his statement, she didn't show it. "Alright, impress me."

"Well. You know everyone else is just going to pretty much copy Shakespeare's works verbatim, right? Well I think that we should put it in our own words and maybe even change the story a little bit."

She thought about it for a minute, "I have to admit, that is a pretty good idea..."

"It is, isn't it?"

She rolled the eyes, "Watch it Sparky, keep it up and this room won't be big enough to contain your ego. And as much as I enjoy your company, we need to hurry it up, I need to go and visit my mom." she added quietly.

He nodded silently. He couldn't forget what had happened to her mother back in the eighth grade.

_Victor and Bee were sitting at their favorite table and Bee was laughing at a joke that Garfield had told (even though it wasn't in the least bit funny).They were at lunch when the intercom called for her to come to the office immediately._

_Victor rolled his eyes, "They're probably calling to congratulate you for making principals honor roll again."_

_Bee shrugged and made her way out of her seat and towards the principal's office._

"_So, Vic. When're you gonna tell her that you like her?" Garfield asked._

_He sighed in exasperation, "I told you already, I don't like her."_

"_He'll confess as soon as you confess that you like Raven." Richard added_.

_Garfield turned a bright red, "That's not true..."_

_Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of Bee's crying in the main hallway. Without even thinking he ran out of the cafeteria to see what was wrong. He caught up with her without difficulty, "What's wrong."_

"_It's... it's my mother. She... a car... and then..Oh Vic!" she cried as she launched herself into his arms._

"_Don't worry, I'm sure she's alright... I'll come with you."_

_But of course she wasn't ok... She was doomed to be in a coma, no one knowing when and if she would ever wake up._

His thoughts were interrupted by the polyphonic tune of _her _cell this time. He felt a twinge of jealousy when he wonder who could be calling her. But he shrugged it off. It wasn't as though she was his girlfriend or anything! Heaven forbid!

He watched her as her eyes widened and filled with tears before she closed her phone and took a deep breath "What?" He asked her.

She looked up at him, her eyes shining with unshed tears, "It's my mother."

GA

"Rae?" Garfield asked, "Why aren't you eating?"

"I'm waiting for you to take the first bite so that's I know it's not poisoned." she said simply.

"I'm sorry that I cared." he said. She could be so irritable! However he dipped his spoon in the soup and sipped the soup slowly. He gave it a nod of approval.

Raven saw this as a positive sign and spooned some of the soup into her mouth. It was delicious! Even so, hell would freeze over before she ever said that out loud. "Good job." she mumbled.

Garfield knew that this would be all that he would get from her and accepted it. He'd known her long enough to know that even that compliment was rare. She didn't use to be like that when they were kids, though. Something had changed between now and then and he desperately wished for the Raven of old to emerge. But the more he waited, the more his hope for her dimmed. What had happened to her was so horrible that he didn't blame her for crawling into her reclusive shell. Whenever he thought about what happened he just wanted to wish the worst upon her father.

He could remember it well. It had all started in the seventh grade; the time when her mother married a new man soon after her divorce. Soon after, Raven started coming to school with bruises all over her body. She started wearing more baggy clothing to cover it up, but Garfield had noticed them. He'd asked her what had happened, but she just said that she was being clumsy lately. He didn't believe her of course, but he left it at that thinking that she'd tell him sooner or later. However, as the days passed he could tell that she got more and more depressed. He was persistent with his questions and she was just as persistent with her lame excuses.

One day, he just couldn't take it any more. He followed her home and waited outside the living room window.

"_You're late." A voice he recognized as her stepfather's said._

"_No, father. I always come home from school at this time." Raven answered._

"_Are you saying that I'm wrong?" Her stepfather said with a slightly raised voice._

"_No, father. I'm not... I just-"_

_Garfield could hear the tell-take sound of her father's palm connecting with her cheek, "You will not correct me, **daughter**." he seethed. "I am your superior, and you will obey me."_

_Raven remained silent._

"_Good. Now go and pour me some wine."_

_Garfield heard her leave the living room and he raised his head a little higher so that he could see what was going on. She returned with a bottle of white wine and a glass. She silently poured the wine into the cup and handed it over to him._

"_I don't want it anymore now that your dirty hands have touched it." he sneered. He then poured the entire contents of the glass on her head. "Clean this up."_

_She got up mechanically and walked to the kitchen and returned with a dishrag and cleaning solution. Garfield watched her with pity as she scrubbed the carpet. He was very surprised that she didn't cry. She just continued to scrub the floor with an emotionless expression on her face._

"_Stop it. You're boring me."_

_She did as she was told and just sat there looking at the ground. Suddenly he grabbed her by her long hair and roughly pulled her to him. What he did next, angered the hell out of Garfield. He kissed her. He saw the tears that she had been holding back fall down her cheeks. He tried to unbutton her blouse, but she bit down on his lip. **Hard**_

"_Bitch!" he yelled._

_She pushed herself off him and attempted to run away, but he grabbed her by her arm and hit her at the side of her face with the wine bottle. She cringed._

_Garfield watched helplessly as Raven's stepfather pulled her hair and dragged her to the stairway. "Useless girl." he seethed. He then threw her down the stairs._

_Garfield ran as fast as he ever had in his life. He ran toward her front door hoping that it was unlocked. When he got there he was glad that his prayers had been answered. He opened the door and cringed as he saw Raven's unconscious body on the floor in front of the stairs._

_He hoped that luck was still on his side when he walked through the door and hoisted her onto her back. He hooked his hands under her knees and ran away from her house with lightning like speed._

_When she awoke in his house later that evening, it was almost as though they had formed a silent pact. He asked no questions and she asked no questions. She just wrapped her arms around his neck and cried. They stayed lie that for hours, neither of them moving, both of them feeling comfortable in their position. Needless to say, it was the last time she ever showed him that she was vulnerable... _

"Garfield, What are you thinking?" Raven asked suspiciously.

He shook his head as though it would rid him of the memory. No such luck. "Um..." he took a deep breath. He'd waited all this time to get the full the story. It was now or never. "Rae. I've always wondered what happened with your stepfather... why didn't you ever tell anyone?"

Her eyes widened slightly and she kept quiet. She surprised Garfield when she responded minutes later. "Well. He'd threatened to hurt my mother if I ever told anyone..."

He nodded. "Yeah... I know the feeling." When he was a kid he'd always been bullied by older kids because he was so short and scrawny. He'd surprised everyone when he came back well built and inches taller. But his parade was rained on when the most important person didn't care.

She said nothing, she just tried to pick an invisible piece of lint off of her shirt. She surprised him again when she decided to speak up again, "When he was there, he made me think I was of no worth." she laughed humorlessly, "I feel absolutely no remorse at his death. He deserved it."

Garfield nodded slowly. Just a few weeks ago they'd found out that her stepfather was found murdered in his apartment. The cause of death was the thallium powder found in his wine. Even though Raven sounded as though she didn't care, Garfield new better than that. She was just as unnerved as he was with the news.

"I mean after all he did- and what he almost did- he was lucky that we didn't press charges. We let him get away. We let that bastard get away..." She whispered.

Garfield saw this as a good opportunity to lean over slightly and envelope her in a hug. This caught her by surprise and a blushed stained her normally alabaster skin. "Um, Ok?" She awkwardly patted him on the back.

"He's gone now, Rae. You don't have to worry about him any more." He said comfortingly.

However I'm sorry to say that Garfield was wrong. They would see Mr. Timothy Roth sooner than they thought.

GA

It was a rather chilly evening, and a boy who had no idea where he was headed pressed his jacket closer to his body. He had been wandering for a little over a week now and he was starting to think that it had been a bad idea to begin with. He already missed his warm bed and his annoyingly attentive parents. But he wouldn't relent no matter what happened. If there was one thing that he did inherit from his parents, it was his stubborn pride. He continued to wander aimlessly down the street ignoring the admiring looks he was getting from passing women. They weren't worth anything to him now, not since_ her._

Just thinking about her made him want to keep going. He hadn't seen her for a little over five years, but he was looking forward to seeing her again. Even though it had been a long time, he thought about her all the time. It hurt to think that he would be with her now if he didn't have to move. Did she find another?

"_Garth," she'd said tears shining in her huge onyx eyes_, _"why didn't you tell me that you were moving?"_

" _I... um... didn't want to see you cry."_ _he said truthfully_.

_She hit him over the head with a book. Funny, he didn't see it in her hands before... "I just don't believe you. I'm not as weak as everyone makes me seem .I'd never forgive you if you wouldn't let me say goodbye. I care more than you think Garth..." she trailed off a rare blush staining her cheeks._

_He smiled, "I'm sorry, I guess I didn't give you enough credit... Who told you anyway?"_

_She scoffed, "Damn right you didn't. And who do you think? There's only one person with that big of a mouth."_

_He raised an eyebrow, "Since when did you start using such foul language?"_

"_Since just now." she said indignantly._

"_It suits you..."_

_She hit him again with that book that seemed to have a habit of appearing out of nowhere, "Shut up."_

_His shoulders suddenly sagged, "So I guess this is goodbye, huh?"_

"_Yea, I suppose so. Even though I ought to hurt you for not telling me I can't seem to bring myself to do it. I'm going to miss you even though it will be a lot quieter without you and big-mouth bickering all the time. I'll never forgive you for leaving me with him... and I-" she was silenced by his lips covering hers. Her eyes widened and her fingers slipped from her book which fell to the ground unnoticed._

_He almost laughed out loud because of her inept attempt to kiss him back. He pulled away from her and hugged her tightly. "Now it's your turn to shut up."_

_They stayed like that for awhile, neither one of them wanting to let go. Only Garth noticed that a concealed figure was watching them. His forest green eyes mirrored hurt and he looked betrayed. But he didn't care... _

He shook his head at the memory. Even though he'd been two years older than her at the time she acted so much older than him. He'd been worried about her after he heard about how her father was treating her (he'd gotten the information from a certain big-mouth). He knew that she'd changed, but he was determined to get her back to her old self.

'_Don't worry Raven, I'm here.'_

GA

The battle raged on for quite sometime and Richard arrogantly praised his ability. By the time Richard had made it through his eighth demon he knew that there was something a little off about this battle. None of the creatures were even attempting to hit him back! But whenever he looked over at Star, she had at least five demons trying to take a piece out of her. It didn't make any sense. Why would they...

Then it dawned on him. The strange creatures weren't just attacking them for the hell of it. They were after Star and didn't give a damn about him! He almost smacked himself at his stupidity. He quickly thrust the staff through the creatures chest and jumped over him to aid her.

There were three demons surrounding her now, and by the looks of it they were the strongest of the batch. It seemed that each time she shot an arrow at them it bounced right off. So, seeing as it was fruitless, she ditched the arrows and tried to attack them head on.

That didn't go so well...

She was once again a sitting duck. She was completely out of options unless she figured out how to use her power. She now had something else to pummel Jinx for! Why was it so damn hard to tell her how to use them? Then without warning a thought crossed her mind. She remembered the surge of power she'd felt earlier... was that her power?

She quickly dodged another blow from the demon as she thought about it. What had she been doing differently when she'd felt it? She couldn't remember doing anything remotely dissimilar to what she'd been doing throughout the battle. But she remembered having a different emotion. She was furious... but hadn't felt just pure fury. Her fury had been justifiable... righteous.

She dodged yet another blow and attempted to grasp that particular emotion. She closed her eyes and thought of something that would make her feel that way. In no time at all she could feel that familiar power surging through her veins. She opened her eyes to see that her arms were encased in eerie green orbs of light. She aimed at both the demons' chests and pushed all the emotion into the orbs. To her surprise, the orbs were unleashed and it hit the demons square in their chests. They fell to the ground with a sickening crash and turned into two identical wisps of black smoke.

She looked around, hoping that Richard didn't see what had just taken place. To her relief, he had his back turned to her and was fighting the final demon. She watched, entranced at the way he moved his body with such ease and grace. For those few moments she'd forgotten that he was the biggest jerk she'd ever met. He reminded her of her favorite bird, the Robin.

She thought back to the image that'd made her harness her amazing new power. She'd thought of the idea of Richard killing himself. It seemed so surreal that he'd ever do something as unethical as taking his own life. And yet she knew that was why she was here. To prevent that for ever happening.

She shook the idea out of her head as she caught a glimpse of Richard giving the demon the final blow. She wouldn't ever let that happen as long as she was here. She wouldn't let those demons have him. Over her undead body!

He flashed her an arrogant smirk,"Are you done staring, Summers? Or would you like to admire my perfect features for a little longer?"

She rolled her eyes. _Or maybe I should do the earth a favor and just let those demons have him..._

She pretended to frantically search, "Perfect features? Where? I have yet to see any."

"Very funny."

She smiled. "I know"

"So what you think those things were anyway? I've never seen anything like them..."

"I'm not sure." she lied.

He flashed that annoying smirk once again,"Whatever those things were, they hardly stood a chance."

She ignored him and started walking in the opposite direction towards her house. "I might as well go home. It's late and we've got school tomorrow."

Without even waiting for him to reply she started running home. She had a strange feeling that something wasn't right...

Richard watched her go with a long drawn out sigh. He didn't even get the chance to ask her about her name...

GA

Kori got to her apartment door feeling slightly apprehensive, but she shoved the feeling down as far as it could go and turned the knob slowly.

The apartment was just as she'd left it. She fumbled around for the light switch, but a hand reached out and grabbed hers. She opened her mouth to scream, but another hand covered her mouth.

"Nice to see you again, Kori."

TBC...

Heehehe.. Don't kill me. I have a bad habit of ending chapters with cliffhangers... Ok let me clear things up here. I hope you know who Garth is... but if not, he's Aqualad! But don't worry another one of the characters I mentioned is going to have a major role as well. So who do you think is in her apartment? It's not as obvious as it seems... Oh and it wasn't a typo. Richard and them were friends a long time ago... but something tore them apart. I hoped you like the chapter which is once again long! Almost 11 pages! So tell me what you think? Is it Good, Bad, or just plan horrific? And TBC means to be continued for those who were asking. Remember, the more reviews I get, the sooner I write the next chapter! I'm going to stop this rant right now... Ja ne!


	10. Dealing with Emotions

READ THIS! IT'S IMPORTANT: Ok, I'm going to change Bee's name to **Karen Beecher,** but she'll still be referred to as Bee, alright? And **Tara Markov **is Terra. And another thing... go back to chapter seven and read the dream scene over... if you're very perceptive, you might notice another name change... but that's all I'm saying for now. Be prepared for a lot of Fluff !

Chapter 10

Dealing with Emotions

She didn't even give him a moment to respond. She grabbed her jacket and bolted down the stairs and towards the front door. "I'm sorry, but I have to go and see my mother." He voice was cracking with every syllable.

Victor looked down at her hands and noticed that they were shaking considerably. He grabbed her arm before she could go any further, "You think that I'm just going to let you drive in this condition? Give me your keys."

She didn't object like he expected her to, instead she just handed him the keys without opening her mouth at all. He looked at her again. She was biting her lip and switching her feet every second. He'd never seen her like this before and he hoped to never see her in this state again.

He grabbed both of her arms and shook her slightly. "Get a hold of yourself! Whatever's happening, I'm sure you'll deal. What happened to the annoyingly strong girl that I know?"

She took him by surprise when she twisted out of his grasp and jumped into his arms. "I can't stand losing someone else that I love!"

_What the hell does she mean by that?_ Victor thought. He was baffled. She had her father, and her sister. She had all the popularity that one could wish for. What could she possibly be talking about?

"Shh. It's alright. Let's go, your mother's waiting."

He shrugged out of her embrace, gently gave her a push in the direction of the door, and opened it. They both walked to the car in comfortable silence except for the sound of the falling rain. Victor unlocked the car and they both jumped in. He inserted the key in the ignition and turned it to the right. He turned to face her and saw that she was once again biting her lips. He remembered years ago when he used to give her really hard puzzles just to watch her do that. He shook his head to clear away the memories.

"Dammit Bee! Can you just stop doing that before I do something that I might regret?" He shouted. After he'd done it however, he wished that he could stuff the words right back into his mouth.

For once she didn't decode the message that he was sending through his words, "Right. Sorry."

_Bee said sorry? I never thought I'd see that day..._

He switched the car to drive and pressed his foot softly on the accelerator. Concentrating on the road ahead would be quite an amazing feat for Victor considering that the girl that he'd liked since as far back as he remembered was sitting only a foot away from him. Especially when her clothes were drenched with water and the way that she unconsciously hitched up her skirt every few seconds exposing inches of her long lithe legs.

He could feel the sweat beading on his forehead. He didn't know what the hell was wrong with him now. He'd went out with many girls in his high school career. He'd always been known Mr. Suave, cool, and collected. That's what made the girls swoon. But now the tables had indeed been turned on him._ He_ was the one with the racing heartbeat and the sweating palms. _He_ was the one who wished that he could show her how he felt without inhibition. And _he _was the one who desperately hoped that she would return his feelings.

He glanced at her briefly and cracked a tiny smile at her actions. She was so anxious that she was ripping pieces of paper and making a pile in her lap. Her hands were still shaking, and he was glad to see that she wasn't biting her lips again. But he nearly groaned when he saw that she'd pursed her lips instead. He gripped the steering wheel so hard that he thought that the bindings would come loose. Since when did a girl have so much power over him?

"Bee. You've _got _to stop doing that!"

She ignored him and tried to open the pigeon hole to grab some more paper, but he grabbed her wrist to stop her. She was about to tell him off, but he entwined their fingers together. Not like she was protesting or anything...

"Stop it. Bee. It's hard enough to drive in the rain as it is, but you're making it harder with your fidgeting. And please have some decence and stop pulling up your skirt like that. It's distracting..."

She could feel her face heat up at the latter part of his comment but she felt a strange sense of satisfaction surge inside her. _Take that Christina_!

Had it been any other time with any other boy Bee would feel the need to be coy and flirty like she'd been famed to be. But for one she was worried about her mother, and this was the boy who'd hurt her time and again...

He'd called her an ice bitch, a monster, a witch, a loser, a wannabe, and a jerkette. He'd taken the side of his girlfriend when she'd known him for much longer. He'd rather spend his time with some big-chested, no brained bimbo. She wasn't his type of girl...

She bit her lips again knowing that it'd annoy him. What was she doing her thinking about some boy when her she had her mother to worry about? She should have been ashamed of herself!

"We're here." Victor mumbled.

They both reluctantly let go of each other's hand and stepped out of the car. No sooner had her shoes touched the pavement had she started running towards the doors of the hospital. She swung the door open and started climbing up the stairs as fast as you could. She was going so fast that Victor could hardly keep up with her. That was definitely saying something considering that he had the school record for being the fastest runner.

"Slow down Bee!"

She ignored him and ran all the way up to the sixth floor. When she found the room, she threw the door wide open to find that her mother was sitting up in her bed. She ran to her bedside and threw her arms around her.

Victor shook his head and made his way out of the room to leave the mother and daughter alone. He knew better to intrude on tearful reunions. He always knew that she'd wake up someday...

He sat on the bench and thought about the feelings that he'd felt towards Bee lately. He'd liked her since as long as he could remember. But lately those feelings were getting harder and harder to quell. He didn't even know why he even went out with all those other girls. He supposed it was just to make Bee jealous. Ever since she'd gotten a boyfriend in the ninth grade he'd felt the evil green monster rear it's ugly head. He had to do everything in his power to prove to her that she was easily replaceable. But as he went through the girls he realized that she wasn't replaceable in the slightest. She was the only girl who payed any attention to him before he bulked up. While everyone else called him a geek she stood up for him. And what did he do in return? He betrayed her by believing his girlfriend instead of her.

_No. _He hadn't actually believed his girlfriend. He knew that her lie was careful fabricated to make it look as though Bee was guilty. But he_ wanted _to push her away. He wanted to show her that he didn't have any need for her anymore. But he did...

"Sparky?"

He turned when he heard her voice. He was happy to see that her eyes were shining with happiness. "Yeah?"

"My mother wants to talk to you."

He stood up and walked into her mother's room and sat down in the chair next to her bed. She was sitting up in bed, a happy smile plastered on her face. She was a beautiful woman who aged quite well. "Hello Mrs. Beecher. I'm glad to see that you're up again. You have no idea how worried Karen has been about you."

"She had every reason to worry. The doctors said that I only had a fifteen percent chance of ever waking up. She was the only one who bothered to visit me on a daily basis. I doubt she's had time to worry about herself lately. That's why I have to thank you, Vic. Thank you for taking care of my daughter."

Victor immediately felt guilty. All he'd done was cause her daughter pain. He'd shut her out of his life. But he wasn't about to tell her mother that. He at least owed her that much. "It was my pleasure Mrs. Beecher."

She smiled softly, " She really likes you, Vic. She's always liked you. But you know Karen. She's always too stubborn to admit her feelings. She always has to have someone else take the initiative." She sent him a furtive look before continuing. "She's the kindest girl you'll ever meet though. I'd appreciate it if you'd continue to look after her."

He smiled back at her, "I will."

He walked out of the room and sat next to Bee on the bench. She looked up at him, "What'd she talk to you about? I suppose that she wanted to know if I'd been in any trouble or something. You know my mother always–"

He cut her off by enveloping her body in a hug. "She told me that I should take care of you. And that's just what I'm going to do."

She melted in his arms. "I don't need anyone to–"

"Shut up. I didn't say that you needed anyone, I'm just going to watch out for tou..."

"But-" She was cut off again, but this time by his lips. The kiss was full of years of pent up emotions that both of them had been too stubborn to admit. It wasn't just filled desire, it was a silent pact that confirmed that they's felt the same way about each other. They were both fighting to make it last as long as it could, but eventually they had to break apart for air.

"I thought I told you to shut up..."

She sighed and laid her head down on his shoulder. _Act now, and ask questions later._

GA

She didn't know why she always found solace in his arms. It was strange how he could just quell her fears by just holding her. There was no explanation for it at all and she wanted to keep it that way. She was afraid that if she ever found out why she got so weak in the knees every time she saw him she wouldn't be able to deal.

Garfield watched as the emotions danced in her eyes. The only problem was that he couldn't recognize any of them. He watched as she closed her eyes and drifted to sleep looking like a beautiful dark angel. He hooked a piece of stray hair behind her ear and placed her on the couch. He then walked back to the kitchen and sat down at the table with his head in his hands. Why was it that every time he even looked at her, he couldn't breathe. When he touched her body there so much electricity that he actually felt dizzy afterwards. What the hell was _wrong_ with him?

He heard the doorbell ring and he wondered if he should answer it. When it rang a second time, he got up and ran to the front door. He had the strange feeling of apprehension in his chest but he shrugged it off. Whoever was behind the door, couldn't be that bad right? Who ever Rachel knew, he could tolerate. No probl-

Oh _no_.

He was at a loss for words. When he opened the door he saw the last person that he expected. _Garth_. There he was–dark hair, dark eyes, and all– leaning against the door frame with so much confidence that it was almost tangible. Garfield had a strong desire to slam the door right in his face. This was the worst time that he could have suddenly appeared like this. Now his chances with Raven-

Chances with Raven? Where did that come from?

His thought were interrupted by Garth's irritably deep voice, "You're not going to make me stand out here in the rain are you?"

"You know what? That sounds like a plan..." he said as he moved to shut the door in his handsome face.

"I don't think that Raven would appreciate that, Logan."

He sighed and stepped aside so that Garth could walk right past him.

"This place hasn't changed a bit. But _you_ have. What happened to the scrawny brat I used to know?"

Garfield rolled his eyes, "Why are you here?"

"Why the hostility? I'm only here to see if you've take good care of my girl while I was gone. Is that too much to ask?"

"First of all, Raven doesn't belong to anyone. Second of all, she's not some helpless damsel in distress. She's perfectly capable of taking care of herself."

Garth just continued to walk around, until he walked into the living room where Raven was sleeping on the couch. His eyes widened, "Woah. Raven really filled out. Are you sure you two aren't a couple?"

_I wish._ "Positive. But she's sleeping, please leave."

Garht's eyes narrowed, "You may have grown, but I won't allow you to talk to me like that Logan."

Garfield had no idea why he was so hostile toward Garth. They may have been rivals back then, but he had never felt such hatred searing though his veins. But this hatred seemed to grow ten fold because of what Garth did next. He bent down and kissed her on the lips!

"You can't just take advantage of her like that when she's slee-"

Garfield couldn't speak. To his surprise Raven was awake and kissing him back! He could feel his heart being ripped into little pieces. Without thinking he ran right out of of her house and into the rain. He tried without avail to clear the mental picture out of his mind.

He dug his hand into his pocked and dialed a number that he hadn't dial in a_ long_ time. "Hey, Tara..."

GA

Richard knew that what he was doing was wrong, no doubt about it. But he had to get to the bottom of this. He had never resorted to such unorthodox methods simply to obtain information. He didn't really know why he cared so much. This was a new all time low for him...

Stalking. Yes, stalking. Not obsessive cameras in shower stalking (although he wouldn't actually mind that), not stalking for revenge, just...stalking. Maybe stalking is too harsh of a word ...lets just say that he was following her.

He was surprised that she didn't notice him walking behind her running figure. He owed it all to his amazing stealth, which he prayed wouldn't fail him. After a few minutes a tall apartment building came into view. He was slightly shocked that she lived in an apartment. He'd always associated all the students at Jump City high with the upper-class. He shrugged it off and followed her through the open door.

He proceeded to follow her as she walked up the stars that led to her apartment. He was careful not to make a sound as he climbed up the numerous stairs leading to the fifth floor. He had some near misses, but she didn't turn around for the duration of the trip.

After what seemed like an eternity they reached apartment 316. He silently moved to the side of her door and she unlocked it. He watched her make her way through the door frame and close the door. He discreetly placed his foot in the crack of the door, cursing at the pain that it had caused. He pressed his ear against the door and listened. It was silent for a few seconds before he heard a voice. It wasn't just any voice. What was particular about this voice was that it was male. Another thing that bothered him was that this male didn't call her Star...

He'd called her Kori!

GA

Kori groped around desperately trying to find an object of defense. No such luck.

"Calm down. I'm not going to hurt you, Kori." Said her supposed assailant.

Her body went lax. She knew that voice anywhere. The voice of someone that she cared for very much. "Ryan?"

Suddenly the lights in the apartment came on and she could see everything clearly. She almost gasped. Her little brother had definitely changed. It seemed as though the distinctive curly red hair that she used to make fun of all the time was gone. It had been replaced with straight black hair. His once beautiful shining emerald eyes were dull, almost lifeless. He'd grown a few inches, his height almost rivaling her own. Enveloped him into her arms. She was so glad to see her brother again.

"Ryan... what has happened to you?" Kori whispered into his ear, her voice cracking slightly.

His eyes wandered until they centered on a Nike clad foot acting as a wedge between the door and the door frame, "Not now, Kori. Someone's listening to us." He walked over to the door and yanked it open revealing a very guilty looking Richard.

"Grayson, you...monster." Kori hissed. She wanted to say "You look hot even when you act like an evil bastard," but thought against it.

Ryan raised an eyebrow, "And who might this be Kori, your boyfriend?"

Kori could feel her heart jump and blood boil simultaneously. "Far from it..." she mumbled so low that it was nearly incomprehensible. "Apparently I have my own personal stalker."

Richard scoffed,"Don't flatter yourself, you idiot. I obviously came here to ask you something."

"Oh? They how, pray tell, did you know where I live?"

Richard remained silent.

"Well, since you decided to _drop in_," she said, "I might as well get up all something to drink." she disappeared into the kitchen, unaware that Richard's eyes were following her every move.

Ryan however noticed Richard's unwavering stare and sneered, "Quit staring. Have you no shame?"

This boy was wearing on Richard's last nerve. "I was just wondering how so many guys can like such a stupid girl. What makes her so special? Since you're her boy toy I think you should answer that question for me."

Ryan looked as though he would strike him but surprised Richard when he simply looked at him with disgust, "You're the idiot. She's my sister, dimwit." He grabbed a fistful of his shirt and lifted his a few inches off the ground, a great feat considering that Richard was inches taller, not to mention at least three years older. "I don't ever want to hear you talk about my sister like that again, you hear me punk? Stay. Away. From. My. _Sister._" He released him and he landed back on his feet.

Richard felt really stupid now. How could he have not recognized those emerald eyes and haughty disposition? "I think that you're the punk. Like sister, like brother, I suppose. Your empty threats don't scare me in the slightest. What's a little kid going to do to me?"

He huffed."I'm not a little kid. I'm almost thirteen."

Richard smirked, "You're still a kid."

"Jerk."

"Punk"

"Retard."

"Ignoramus."

"Loser."

"Imbecile."

"Stupid."

"Idiot."

"..."

Richard smirked. "Cat got your tongue, punk?"

Ryan smiled at him slyly. "Hi, Kori."

She looked at him and then at Richard, "Grayson? Have you been insulting my little brother behind my back?"

"He insulted me first!" he said. He almost grimaced at how he had a remarkable resemblance to a whining two year old.

She rolled her eyes, "Right... well? What is it then? Why did you follow me into the comfort of my home?"

He looked into her eyes with such unwavering intensity that she thought that he would burn her eyes right out of her sockets. "I have one question that I've been meaning to ask you. What is your real name? And don't try to fool me, because I looked in the database and you're not there."

Kori eyes widened and she silently cursed herself for losing her composure. She tried to organize her thoughts but failed miserably. What was she going to do, now? Having nothing else to do, she pleaded with Jinx within her mind._ Please let him believe me, please let him believe me..._

She took a deep breath."My name... is Starfire. Star is just my nickname. If you were wondering why my brother calls me Kori, it's because he thinks Starfire's a stupid name. He thought of his own name to call me."

Her brother Ryan opened his mouth to say something, but she shot him a very viscous glare. And mouthed _I'll tell you about it later. _She wasn't going to let him ruin her perfectly fabricated lie. "I don't even want to know why you've been looking into databases just to figure out my name. But I'll save you the trouble of explaining and just assume that you're a psychotic loser that doesn't have better ways to pass the time."

He opened his mouth to say a witty comeback, but his cell phone rang. He fished his cell phone out of his pocket and read the name on the front. It said "Wayne". He was surprised, to say the least that his uncle called him on his cell. He never bothered to call him unless it was something that greatly concerned him. He flipped it open and unconsciously pressed the speaker button.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Richard. I'm sorry but I'm going to have work all night. Damn paperwork. There's no school for you tomorrow because that _accidental_ chemical spill still hasn't been cleaned. I don't want to you stay home alone, so do you think you could stay over at a friend's house or something? I don't even mind if it's a girl..." Richard could almost feel his uncle's smirk over the phone, "Sorry about this... I'll make it up to you soon, alright?"

Richard didn't even have any time to object before his uncle hung up the phone. _Great. Just freaking great. Who the hell is going to let me stay with them over night? Uncle Wayne should know by now that I don't have any friends..._

Ryan smirked, "Seems to me that you have a dilemma. No place to stay, I don't think a jerk like you has any friends, so I guess you'll just have to find a roach motel or something. If they'll even take you in."

Kori looked at him with dissent_, "No._ He will _not _be sleeping in a motel. No matter how much I despise him I will not let him wander the streets tonight.Especially since we don't know what's out there.He's staying right here."

Richard looked puzzled. "I am?"

"Unless you have a better idea..."

But Richard wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth, "No, I don't... where will I sleep?"

She rolled her eyes."Well there's a thing called a couch that I'm sure you're dying to reacquaint yourself with."

Richard chuckled"Always with the sarcasmeh Summers?"

Kori didn't answer, she simply took her brother's hand and led him to the guest room and shut the door.

Her brother looked up at her, his eyes filled with curiosity,"Kori? What's going on here? Why don't you want him to know your real name? Why aren't you... dead?"

Kori sighed, and went to the closet to get Richard a pillow and a blanket from the closet,"Ryan, it's a long story that I'm just way too tired to explain right now. I promise I'll tell you in the morning, alright? But now it's time that you went to sleep."

"You promise?"

She nodded. "And you know that I never break promises."

"Deal."

"Alright then, goodnight." She opened the door but before she stepped out she heard her brother's voice.

"Kor? For whatever the reason that you're back, I'm glad."

She turned around and smiled softly at her brother, "Me too, Ryan." She then closed the door and walked towards Richard with a scowl on her face.

She threw the blanket and the pillow at him and walked towards her room"Good night, Grayson."

"Good night, _Starfire_."

GA

_It was raining outside, the cool water washing over her face as if cleansing her of all impurity. Kori was walking home with her bags in her hand, trying her best not to let the water drench the groceries that she's worked so hard to buy. But she didn't mind, she'd always loved the rain._

_She didn't know why, but she had a feeling that she should take the longer route home. It was completely illogical, not to mention completely idiotic, but she listened to her instincts. As she continued to walk down the long street, she wondered if what she was doing was the right thing. Her mother was going tp kill her for getting the groceries wet. Her sister would just laugh at her and tell her how much of a nuisance she was to the family. Her brother wouldn't care, he would just hug her and say that he was glad that she was home._

_However, her thoughts were soon interrupted by a blood-curdling scream. She turned around quickly trying to pinpoint the source of the sound. The rain began to fall harder, now with thunder and lightning accompanying it. She heard it again, this time louder. The sound was making the hair all over her body stand up. She knew where it was coming from. She turned a corner and continued to run as fast as her lithe legs would carry her. She stopped in front of an alley next to an apartment complex. She felt as though time had stopped. Her best friend was positioned in an odd angle on the floor, her lifeless eyes wide with horror, and her mouth agape. Her clothes were drenched in her own blood due to the multiple stab wounds on her body._

_Kori dropped her groceries in absolute shock. It had to be an illusion. There was no way what she was seeing was real. Audrey couldn't be dead..._

_The tears began to fall down her cheeks mixed with the rain. The thing that she had once seen as God's gift to nature was now a curse. The once soothing repetition of the drops splattering on the pavement was now the toll of death. The rain was a relentless and sinister veil of misery. _

GA

"AUDREY!"

Richard sat up on the couch in a flash at the sound of her voice ringing clearly through the air. Hejumped out of his makeshift bedand ran in thedirection of her room. The door swung open and he caught sight of her. It was strange how she seemed to look like a goddess when she had just been asleep. What surprised him the most about her was her eyes. They were wide with fear and slightly reminiscent. He'd never seen her look so damn vulnerable. He'd never admit this to her face but she looked ...cute.

"Summers, what the hell is wrong with you?" he heard himself blurt out. He silently cursed himself at the brashness of his statement.

She didn't say anything. She just jumped out of bed and launched herself into his arms. She positioned her head onto the crook of his arm and stayed there.

"Uh... Summers?" He was sure that he was blushing like a tomato now. "What are you–"

"Just shut up and hold me..." Her voice was a ghost of a whisper, barely audible.

He did as he was told, no questions asked. They stood in the same position for at least fifteen minutes before Kori decided to brake the silence. "She was my best friend..."

"Tell me what happened." Richard unhooked his arms from her waist reluctantly and opted to take her hand and lead her to her bed. He sat down and patted the spot next to him. She sat down and took a deep breath.

"My best friend Audrey died two years ago. She was murdered, and they never found out who did it. I saw her body during a thunderstorm and ever since then I've been afraid of thunderstorms...It's stupid, I know, but–"

Richard pressed his finger to her lips to silence her, "Never see your fears as stupid as long as there is a reason for them." He became conscious of her warm lips under his finger and quickly removed it as though he had been burned.

There was a loud clap of thunder outside and she jumped into his lap. He froze for a moment, he could once again feel the ever annoying blush creep to his cheeks.

However Kori didn't notice anything going on she just slipped of his lap and muttered, "Sorry."

There was another clap of thunder and gripped her arm so hard that he thought his circulation would be cut off. She let go as soon as the thunder subsided. "Sorry... again."

She laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes tightly anticipating the next crash of lightning, but it never came. Instead she just dozed off on his shoulder. He turned to look at her face once more. It was the very picture of innocence. Her parted lips were so enticing and alluring that it took all of his will power not to lean in and press his own lips against them. He shook his head to rid himself of the feeling.

_What the hell am I thinking?_ He hooked one arm under her knees, placed another on her back, and positioned her comfortably on her bed. As he slowly walked backwards from her bed he slipped on the bed skirt and fell face forward...

...right onto her lips.

He was engulfed once more with that strange unfamiliar feeling. He could The strange sensation from the tips of his hair all the way to his toes. He'd only felt it with her... and he prayed that she couldn't feel anything. She'd already told her that he didn't want to cheat on her boyfriend. If she woke up there would be hell to pay. Just for once he wanted to get away with something without confrontation. Just this once...

And for just this time, fate was on his side.

He lifted his lips from hers and immediately felt the addicting sensation slip away. He'd do almost anything to feel it again. As he turned around, he felt her arm grasp his gently. He turned around and saw that her eyes were filled with fear once again.

"Please don't leave, Richard." Her whisper was barely audible and the tears were falling rapidly down her cheeks. There was an unfamiliar constrictive feeling in his chest It was as though she reached into his chest and grasped his heart in her hands and was squeezing it with all her might. He never wanted to see the tears fall down her cheeks again.

Richard took off his shirt and jeans (so that he was only wearing his boxers) and climbed into bed beside her. "Star, don't cry..." He placed his hand on her cheek and wiped the tears away. His hand lingered on her cheek for longer than necessary.

"I'm just... just so scared. Every time it rains I relive that moment. I see her face... and the blood... and I just freak out...you know?" She shuddered and he wrapped his arms around her.

_You have no idea. _"Shh. The past is the past, it's over right?" _Practice what you preach!_ He inwardly scolded himself.

She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and laughed lightly, "Who ever thought the Grayson monster could give such good advice? I guess there's a lot about you that I have yet to find out."

He flashed an arrogant smirk,"Of course. I'll even let you in on a little secret now. This is the first time I'm letting anyone do this but if you ever need a shoulder to cry on, I'm your man."

She feigned shock, "Man? I think you're delusional, but I'll hold you to that offer. It's a mutual agreement. When you need my shoulder, it's yours."

He flashed an arrogant smirk once again."Not like I'll need it or anything..."

"You pompous idiot!"

"Thank you."

GA


	11. Secrets

Sorry it took so long! I had A LOT of things to do... It's my first year in high school, and I had a lot of work to do (IB program.. Grrr). As you might notice as you read this chapter, everyone has a secret... I won't reveal them all, but maybe if you're sharp you'll figure it out... Parts of this chapter may be a little disturbing, but it is T for teen so if you can't handle it, skip it. I'll try my best to make it as tolerable as possible...

Chapter 11

Raven's eyes widened. She was in a half-conscious state, but she wouldn't dare go back to sleep. She couldn't understand what was happening. Why was Garfield kissing her? Why did the sensation feel so strangely familiar? It was almost ...surreal.

Her vision was slowly beginning to clear. An unfamiliar image formed in front of her. She soon realized that she wasn't looking into the warm forest green eyes Garfield, she was in fact looking into the eyes of someone she couldn't quite place. Suddenly, she could feel realization wash over her body. It was Garth. But that was impossible. He had moved quite a while ago, and they had since lost touch. How could he still remember her? It had been more than seven years ago that she'd kissed him in the park...

Raven pushed Garth away, feeling surprisingly embarrassed. "What are you doing here?" Her voice was so quiet that Garth almost completely missed it.

He smiled softly. She was different than he remembered. Where was her attitude? "What? Can't even say hello to me after all these years?"

Raven looked around feeling uncomfortable. She couldn't quite place it, but there was something about him that was unnerving. His eyes seemed to be colder than she remembered. "Where is Garfield? Don't tell me he ran off."

He rolled his eyes, his eyes becoming even colder. "Why do you care? You didn't before. He's just a stupid punk."

For reasons unexplainable to Raven, she felt anger coursing through her veins as he insulted her-and it was scary. She suddenly growled. "Don't insult Garfield! He's the one who's been here for me since you left! You think you can just walk in here and change all that?"

He smirked. That was the attitude he was looking for. Perhaps she hadn't changed at all. "Yes. I told Logan to take care of you until I got back." He looked her up and down slowly his eyes lingering on her lips. Raven crossed her arms around her body, feeling violated. What did he think he was doing? "And I think he's done a very good job."

"I don't need anyone to take care of me! I'm not a–"

His eyes changed again, becoming several shades darker. He snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her to him. She tried to wriggle out of his grasp, but he was too close. She couldn't escape. She could feel his hot breath in her ear."Remember Raven, you're mine."

Raven opened her mouth to scream, but her lungs seemed to be frozen by terror. What was going to happen to her? He easily overpowered her because of his bulky build. She knew that there were no options in sight. What was he going to do?

He kissed her again, rougher this time, and held her body so tight that she could hardly breath. She had to do something... she had to...or else...

He trailed kisses down her jawline and down the front of her neck. She held her breath as he slowly ripped her blouse open, his eyes taking in every part. She felt utterly exposed. It took all her power to hold the tears back. Why was this happening to her? Why was he doing this? This wasn't the Garth she knew at all.

"Garth! Stop!" she exclaimed desperately hoping that he would listen to her. "Stop!"

Garth's eyes turned red and smirked showing two fang like teeth. "Raven, you silly girl!" his voice was horribly distorted and he suddenly had a crazed look in his eye. "Your friend is gone forever. I have been eating away at his soul since I was released from hell. My only objective is to kill you so I can obtain this body! That doesn't mean that we can't have a little fun first!" He pushed her down on the couch, crushing her petite frame with his larger one.

Raven's eyes widened. This wasn't Garth! She was in trouble! She closed her eyes and concentrated. It was her only hope. He was the only one who could help her now.

_Garfield, help!_

GA

"Yes Gar?" Came Tara's sugary sweet voice over the phone. She sounded out of breath. "What's wrong?"

After hearing her voice, Gar suddenly realized what he was doing. He was calling upon his trump card, hoping to make Raven feel the same pain that he was feeling. But... he couldn't bring himself to do it. She'd suffered too much already. "Tara...do you know what homework we had for math?"

She sighed, "You interrupted me and– I mean me for that? Well, it's pg. 300 problems 1-22."

"Thank you."

Without even saying goodbye, he closed the phone hoping that he'd never had to resort to such measures again.

_Love makes you do crazy things._ He thought, not realizing what he just implied.

He ran his hands through his hair trying to create some kind of plan. He couldn't go home and face Raven...

_Did I just say home?_

He shook his head. What the hell was wrong with him lately? It wasn't his home. Not with Raven and Garth kissing every spare moment. He didn't know that for sure, but if he were Garth, he would- Was that feeling in his chest just a figment of his imagination? A picture appeared arbitrarily in his mind. For reasons that he couldn't possibly fathom, he had suddenly wondered what it'll fell like to kiss her. All matters considered: he was definitely going crazy.

He suddenly couldn't move. It was as though some outside force was freezing him in place. What was happening?

_Garfield! _He heard Raven's voice say. "_Garfield, help me!"_

Her voice left as quickly as it had come and he regained control of his body. He couldn't quite comprehend the situation, but he knew one thing: Raven was in trouble, and he had to help her.

He ran and fast as he could to the place that he'd tried his hardest to avoid. He'd been running away form the one girl that he truly cared about. The one girl he'd die for. The only girl that he'd ever ...loved. And after all the times that he'd heard her say that she could protect herself, he finally had a chance to prove himself. He finally had a chance: and he wasn't about to let it slip through his fingertips.

He ran to Raven's front door and burst right through it hoping that he wasn't too late. As soon as he had done so, he caught sight of something that angered him to the core. Garth was laying on top of her, and Raven was trying her best to get free.

"Rae!" He exclaimed.

Garth, or the hideous thing impersonating him, turned towards him with a sickening smirk. "You think you can stop me from devouring this girl?"

"I don't know who you are, but don't touch her! Or else you'll have me to answer to." Gar answered in a voice that seemed so different from his own. "Let her go."

The demon laughed harshly. He looked Gar's body up and down as though comparing it to his own. "You think you can beat me?"

"Bring it on."

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Raven rolled her eyes. Logan could try to be a little less clique with his dialogue. _But he came back. _She realized. _He came back to save me._

The demon held her chin in his hands. "Don't worry, I'll be back for you." Raven shuddered, a cold feeling washing over her. Who- what was he?

The demon lunged for Gar, but he ducked just in time. He raised one eyebrow in amusement."You'll have to do better than that if you want to beat- "

The demon narrowed it's eyes and breathed fire from his mouth in Gar's direction. He dodged most of it, but got burned on his shoulder. "Woah, dude? I was kidding."

Garfield ran towards the demon and punched him in the stomach as hard as he could, and as he did, fire blew out of his mouth. He coughed, doubled over, and fell silent.

He pressed two fingers onto the demon's forehead,"Icmius kontay rahn!" he chanted. A black mist came out of Garth's mouth, and Garfield used his hand to grab it. "State your purpose."

"I was sent to get rid of my stepdaughter but it seems as though I have failed. But she'll always bee a worthless little-"

Gar squeezed the demon's spirit as hard as he could and it disintegrated. He ran over to the couch where Raven lay. "Rae? You okay?"

She opened one eye, "I've been better."

Garfield enveloped her in a hug. Raven gasped, "Rae, you have no idea... no idea what I thought had happened to you. Did he..."

She shook her head. "No..."

He buried his head in her shoulder. "God, Rae. I don't know what I would have done if anything had happened."

Raven enjoyed the hug as much as she could before she realized how utterly embarrassing it was to have her chest exposed to h im. "Uh, Logan?"

"What Raven?"

"Uh... my... chest..." she said, her face burning in embarrassment.

"Oh!" His face would have made a tomato proud. He took of his shirt and handed it to her, shielding his face from her chest.

"Finished." She turned and stared at his chest again. She shook her head realizing how ridiculous she was being. "So how did you know what to do with that demon?"

Gar took one of her hands making her blush, "I was sworn not to tell anyone. So I'm sorry. There's only one person I can tell it too... and that's another story...I'm sure you think I'm weird."

_If only you knew._ "Of course not. It was the first time that I've ever seen you act cool."

"Than- hey! What's that supposed to mean." Gar feigned hurt, "I'm like a refrigerator, I'm so cool!"

She rolled her eyes. "Case and point." She gestured to Garth, "What are we going to do with him?"

Gar looked at him in disgust. He really didn't want him to wake up. What if he kissed her again? He wouldn't be able to handle that again. And didn't Raven have feelings for him too? "I think he'd make a nice rug for your living room."

Raven rolled her eyes. "Logan... this is serious."

_I wasn't joking. _He thought "Okay, uh, I guess we need some kind of first aid kit, or something." he crossed his hands on his chest stubbornly. "Then we can send him packing."

She glared at him. "There's no need for the first aid kit or sending him home."

He scoffed. "I'm sure you'd like that wouldn't you? Keeping this guy in your house so you could admire him all you wanted."

She chose to ignore him and walked over to the unconscious Garth. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos." As she chanted a black mist emerged from her palms and through Garth's ear. "He'll probably he unconscious fora couple of days, but I think he'll be fine." She gingerly moved him of the floor and onto the couch.

"Dude! Since when are you able to do that?"

She looked at him, her expression unreadable, "You're not the only one with secrets."_ I'm just wish I could tell you that I'm a seer, but I just can't bring myself to do it._

He decided not to push the subject, it seemed to be a touchy one. "Well, I think I've gotten enough action for today, and I don't know about you, but I am dead tired. Let's go to your room."

She walked with him fro a few steps, then stopped in her tracks. "What do you mean we?"

He walked over to her and pressed his palm to her forehead. "You're still sick. Someone needs to be there in case you get worse."

Raven blushed from embarrassment, "Alright, but opposite sides of the bed." She glared at him. "Hands to yourself."

Gar looked at her, a mischievous look in his eyes, "Why Raven! Why ever would you say that?""

GA

Ryan Anders was up at 5:30 the next day. Any ordinary boy would find it obscene to be up at such an early hour, but then again Ryan was far from ordinary. Walking with as much stealth as possible, he crept down the hall to his sister's room. He was going to get to the bottom of this if it killed him. He felt sad just thinking about how his sister had been alive all this time without even paying him a visit. Misery and pain had overwhelmed him at the funeral, yet some unexplainable force told him not to accept what was laid in front of him.

_She probably has a reason..._he decided, _Kori never does anything without a reason._

He took a sharp breath and turned the doorknob in a painfully slow manner. Why was he so afraid? Was there something that he perhaps wouldn't want to see when he got there?

_This is ridiculous!_ He thought. There was nothing to be afraid of...right?

He sighed once again, turned the doorknob slowly. He needed to talk to his sister.

When the door opened it revealed something that most twelve year old boys would prefer not to see: his sister sleeping with a guy! But not just any guy, the guy who he despised more than anything in the world! How could she do this to him?

He stomped over to the bed in anger and ripped the blankets off of their bodies. As soon as he had done so, Richard's eyes suddenly opened. "What on earth is WRONG with you?" he screamed as he sat up in bed. He rubbed his eyes sleepily, "It's not even daylight yet..."

"Didn't I tell you to stay away from my sister? What exactly have you done to her?" he exclaimed.

Richard looked disgusted, "Not what you're thinking. Your sister had a nightmare, I only came in here to shut her up."

Ryan crossed his hands against his chest. "Then why are you still here?"

"I obviously fell asleep."

Ryan let out the breath that he had been unknowingly holding. "Well, I suggest you get out of her room then. I don't think there's any reason for you to still be here."

Richard glared at him and attempted to get off the bed. Suddenly, Kori swung a leg over his stomach and snuggled up to him. "So warm..." She murmured contentedly.

Richard's face turned red "Uh..."

Ryan smothered his laughter with his hand. "I was going to tell you about her odd sleeping habits but I guess you just have to witness them for yourself..."

"Oh, Richard..."

He raised an eyebrow, his face still a brilliant red. "Someone's having sweet dreams."

"...You are such an IDIOT!" She screamed as she woke up and hit him with her pillow.

He sighed. "Or not."

Kori jumped out of bed and crossed her hands over her chest. "Grayson, you didn't think I couldn't hear you did you? I'm a very light sleeper." she yawned loudly, "Now if you don't mind, I'm going to...go..." Her body tilted slightly to the left. Richard, being one with very quick reflexes, got up quickly and caught her before she hit the ground.

"Your sister is the weirdest girl I've _ever _met!_" _He said as he placed her on her bed. "Now since you've woken me up, I might as well do something useful."

"You? Do something useful? I would have never thought it was possible!" Kori murmured. She then fell lax, and spoke not another word.

He rolled his eyes, "How do you live with he–" He stopped as if to think about what he was saying, "Wait a second! Why don't you live with your sister?"

Ryan suddenly froze. What was he going to say? Even he himself did not know the answer to that question. "Uh... she wanted to... take a break from us. See how it feels to err... live alone."

He looked unconvinced, "And why are _you _here?_"_

Ryan decided that he could tell the truth to Richard... half-truths. Even though he hated him to the bane of his very existence, he felt as though he could help Kori. He'd get the truth out of her when she woke up. "After her... departure I got angry at me parents and blamed them for everything. I took a bus from Loutonburg all the way here to Jump city and started looking for her. I searched everywhere, not believing that she was gone. I don't know how I knew she'd be in Jump city, but I eventually found her one day walking home from school. I followed her to see where she lived. Yesterday found it, picked the lock, and let myself in."

Richard raised an eyebrow, "But if you saw her walking down the street, why didn't you just talk to her?"

_And why do you ask so many goddamned questions?_ Ryan thought irrirably. "I wasn't entirely sure, all I'd seen was the back of her head. But when I followed her I watched her get angry at her doorknob and curse it out. Only my sister does that."

Richard shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned against the wall. He suddenly couldn't keep his eyes open anymore. He couldn't sleep because he couldn't stop thinking last night. It was very hard for him to sleep next to Star without having... unnecessary thoughts. "So how long do you plan on staying here, punk? You need to go home soon, your parents will be worried about you."

Ryan was slightly surprised, though he would never show it in his outward appearance. He just kept his mask of impassiveness on his face and narrowed his eyes at the older boy. "Why would you care if I got home in one piece, jerk? You just want to get out of the way so you can go back to hitting on my sister!"

This made Richard open his eyes and glare at the boy. What kind of guy did he think he was? It was as though he was putting Rancid in the same league as Albert Einstein; it just didn't correlate. He tried to keep his temper under control. It wouldn't do to blow up on Star's little brother. This was the only place he could stay for the day, and he didn't want to screw that up.

He tilted his head downward, still keeping his eyes locked on the young boy,"Listen to me. Call me anything you want, but I will not stand to be accused for something like that. Your sisters's not some kind of call-girl. She's... she's different. I would never do anything to make her uncomfortable. Because I..." He was giving just a little too much information. Even he didn't know what he was trying to say. His thoughts were all jumbled up in his head, and it was nearly impossible to organize them. What was going on with him?

Ryan looked at him with an expression that showed that he was half-amused and half- impressed. "I guess I have to apologize to you then. I was thinking that you were up to something, but your intentions seem to be pure. It's just that... Kori's been disappointed at guys who only wanted to date her for one thing, and when she wouldn't give it to them, they'd go off with another girl." He sighed. "I can't believe I'm telling you this, but my sister had this boyfriend named Xavier."

Richard's eyes narrowed at his name. He could still remember seeing them in the parking lot, kissing. He could still feel the jealousy coursing through his veins as Xavier held her around her waist and kissed her. It was like... he could care less about what he had. Like he had an ulterior motive. The whole situation just didn't sit right with him. But didn't Ryan say... _had?_"

Ryan noticed his expression and grinned, "I hated him so much. He always treated me like I was insignificant. Like I was merely a pawn in his grand scheme of things. Apparently, Kori had been too."

Richard thought about it. What was he talking about? Kori was madly in love with the guy, and he could tell by the way that they held each other that they'd never been separated. "What do you mean?"

Ryan sighed, "Well, one day when I came home from school, I heard something. No one else was supposed to be in the house, so I tried to figure out who was home. Finally, after I had looked everywhere except for the basement, I went to the bottom floor. When I got there I saw Xavier and my other sister, Blackfire kissing on the couch. It upset me so much that I went back upstairs and refused to speak to Blackfire again. I... never told Kori what had happened."

Richard was livid. What the hell was wrong with this guy? Didn't he see what he had? Why did he throw it all away? "Why didn't you tell her."

"She was in love with the guy." he shrugged, "I just couldn't break her heart like that. I know she would have been devastated."

He heard it clearly this time, "Was?"

"Didn't you know?" he saw Richard shake his head and he continued, "Bastard got what he deserved. He was killed in a car crash."

GA

Bee opened her eyes, the warm rays of the sun tickling her cheeks. She'd gotten the best night of sleep that she could recall, and she couldn't quite figure out why. As her vision started to clear however, everything that had happened the previous night had come crashing down on her. The rain. The unbearable car ride. Her mother. The kiss...

She couldn't believe that it had actually happened. It couldn't be happening. She'd been separated from him for so long that she had forgotten how good it felt to be near him, to smell him, to touch him. If it was a dream she never wanted to wake up from it. Ever...

However when she realized how he was lying on top of him, he face flushed with embarrassment and she tried to push herself of him. She would even resort to sleeping on the disgusting hospital cot. But as soon as she attempted to do so, his strong arm pulled her down again. "Calm down Bee."

Calm down! She scoffed. He was telling her to calm down when they were in this position? She couldn't let anyone see them like this.

"If it makes you feel any better, you don't weigh much." Vic smirked. "But if you keep eating that junk food, it won't be like that for long."

She growled at him, "Will you just let go of me?" she rolled her eyes, "After I let you have one kiss you act as though we're joined at the hip."

"I could arrange that."

She sighed. "What will my mother think if she sees us like this?"

He relented and she rolled off him and on the side of the cot, which she noticed looked worse for wear, "So..."

"So?" Vic pressed on.

Bee sighed, and for good reason. She was about to say one of the most cliched lines all time. "We need to talk."

Vic just looked at her, "About what?"

"Us." She said. The grimace on his face didn't go unnoticed, but she decided to ignore him, "Where do we stand?"

"I don't know. Christina's still my girlfriend and–" He saw her face crumble and sighed. "I hate to think of what she'll do to you once she figures out why I'm dumping her. Sure you can handle it?"

The smile found it's way back to her face. "I can handle anything. Remember that I fear no man, or woman."

He snorted, "Your arrogance never ceases to amaze me."

"Thank you." She retorted.

"You hungry?" he asked. "I have a couple of hundreds on me, so we can go wherever you want."

A mischievous glint appeared in her eye. "Well, since you're paying..."

He groaned. "You're going to milk this for all that it's worth aren't you?"

"Of course. The last time I heard you say that you were paying was when I found out that my mom was in a coma, and even then you bought us both six piece nuggets and a small drink." she smiled again, this time looking reminiscent. "You were a sweet boy, even though you were cheap. But you sacrificed your allowance just so we could get something to eat."

"I was just a kid trying to get the girl that I liked to like me back." He noticed that she was crestfallen and he sighed." It was stupid of me, I know."

Bee's eyes widened, "I didn't know you felt that way... why didn't you just tell me?"

He sighed, "I was a nerd. I was obsessed with computers an video games. My glasses were always breaking and my braces were always getting stuck to me lip and I was the most unpopular boy in the entire school. But you on the other hand were popular. You were a head cheerleader and everyone liked you. I had no chance."

"You didn't know that for sure... don't you remember what happened before you went to camp?"

_A 14 year old Bee looked into the eyes of her best friend, "So you're really going to a sports camp?"_

_He sighed, "My dad doesn't think I'm man enough. He wants me to do football in high school." _

"_But Vic! This is the first summer that we've been apart! I'm going to cheer camp, and you to football camp!"_

_He rolled his eyes at her behavior, "I'm not going to die or anything, I'll see you by the end of the summer."_

"_Who knows, Vic? When we go to high school, I might be cheering you on in your football games."_

"_Yeah, and by that time I'll get these annoying braces off and contacts." He looked hopeful, " Then maybe I'll be able to get my first kiss in high school."_

_She turned to him absolutely astounded, "You've never been kissed by a girl?"_

"_No. Remember, they all think I'm repulsive."_

"_I don't think you're repulsive, and I'm a girl. Or have you forgotten?"_

"_But you're different from them. You're my best friend. We've known each other forever, and I think a kiss from you would be different from a kiss from any other girl."_

_She smirked. "Wanna bet?" She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his softly wi th surprising expertise. Vic was trying to kiss her back, though his inept ability was obvious. She broke apart from him and smiled, "Try telling me that I'm not a girl now." She rolled her eyes at his expression, "Well I think I'll leave it at that. Now you have something that'll remind you of me all summer..."_

He remembered it alright. Little did Bee know, her word was true. He thought about her every night when he was in camp. It was strange how much power her lips had over him. "When I came back and finally had the courage to ask you out, I too became popular and lost sight of what was important."

Bee's eyes darkened. "I still haven't come to terms with the fact that you believed that lying she-witch over me."

He looked into her eyes, his gaze unwavering,"I wanted to prove that I could live without you. I thought that you were easily replaceable, but I was stupid. You were the variable in my life that should have remained constant. I'm sorry that I hurt you."

"You were pretty stupid weren't you?"

He sighed, " Thank you for ruining the moment."

"Whatever. I'm hungry, lets go get something to eat. Don't expect me to go easy on you."

GA

If there was one thing about Bee that Cyborg knew it was that didn't lie. She'd taken him to Sakura Steakhouse, Ihop, Dairy Queen and Candy world, and she showed no signs relenting whatsoever. He could feel his pockets getting lighter and lighter. "Uh... Bee? Don't you think we should head back now?"

"Stop trying to cheat me out of this!" She growled

There was no way out.

Vic watched helplessly as she dragged him across the mall to find Taco Bell. She's nearly gotten there when she changed her mind and dragged him back to the parking lot. "I think I'm done eating now. I need to go back to the hospital and check on my mother."

_Thank you Mrs. Beecher._ By the time they reached the parking lot Vic was feeling elated. His money was safe.

"Hey!" A voice called from the opposite side of the parking lot. "Hey, can I get your number?"

Bee ignored him, thinking that he was talking about someone else. The man got angry and marched over to their car. "Hey, I was talking to you and you didn't even answer. So you think you're better than me bitch?"

Vic stepped in between them, "Who do you think you are talking to my girlfriend like that?"

_So he admits it._ Bee thought happily.

The guy whistled, "Hey man. Whenever you decide you're finished, you can give 'er to me." He walked in front of her and lifted her chin with his index finger. He wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned down so close that his lips were grazing her ear, "I'll be back for you. Think of it as my revenge." Her eyes widened and she backed away, "No... you couldn't..."

"Get away from her." Vic seethed.

The man laughed, "As you wish. For now... Just know that your boyfriend won't always be there to protect you." He turned and walked away.

"Who did that guy think he was?" He looked over at Bee, and was shocked to see that she looked absolutely stricken. And Bee wasn't scared of _anything_."Bee. What'd he say to you."

She shook her head, as though breaking out of some sort of trance. "Nothing. He said nothing at all." Her hair had fallen over her face and her eyes were covered. He reached out and brushed the locks out of her face.

He was going to ask her to explain what just happened, but when he saw the look on his face he halted. "You can tell me whenever you're ready."

She looked at him with gratitude for his understanding. She stood on the tips of her toes and gave him a kiss on the lips. "Thanks."

He was slightly dazed. "Did you just say thank you?"

She glared at him. "Don't get use to it."

Vic shook himself out of his stupor and opened the door of his car for her. She raised an eyebrow at his gesture but shrugged and sat in the passenger seat ignoring the look that Vic gave her. "Stop worrying about me, I'm fine." She wasn't used to getting so much attention from anyone and it was making her slightly uncomfortable.

"Was he an old boyfriend or something?" He said shrewdly.

She pointed downwards as though indicating something that was below them."Far from it... but I'm not exactly ready to tell you yet." She took his hand in her own. "Please understand."

Victor was confused by her gesture. Was it some kind of clue? _No._ He thought. He'd always known Bee as a very straightforward type of girl. He shrugged it off and accounted it to be a figment of his imagination. "I guess you'll tell me that when you are ready?"

She nodded. "Yes." _I'm just afraid that you won't believe me._

GA

Richard was utterly confused. "W-what? I just saw him and your sister... uh... _together_ just a few days ago. There is no way that he's dead. That wouldn't make any sense."

"Of course it does. He was found dead in his car after a tragic accident, and..." He was about to add to add that his own sister, Kori, had been in that car as well, but he caught himself before he did so, "...I believe that's why my sister ran away from my parents."

_I don't get it. He was alive and well, not to mention an arrogant bastard, when I saw him last. What's this mess about him dying? The kid doesn't seem to be lying..._

He shook his head and decided not to dwell on the subject any longer. He would have to pay another visit to the Wayne laboratories.

Ryan cleared his throat. "I'm really sorry for earlier Richard. I misjudged you. I thought you were after my sister." He smirked, "But perhaps you shouldn't forgive so easily, after I kick your ass to the moon and back in Mortal Kombat, you'll be ruined forever."

"We'll see about that."

GA

Kori woke up and yawned loudly. She was still tired, but she knew she couldn't sleep anymore. After jumping out of bed, she walked down the hallway to the living room.

"Oh YEAH! I win!" A voice, unmistakably Ryan's, exclaimed.

"YOU CHEATED PUNK!" Richard shouted.

_I leave them alone for less than an hour and they're already rotting their brains while playing games._

She walked into the room and plopped herself down on a chair– or what she thought was a chair. She soon realized however that she'd unintentionally sat in Richard's lap for the second time. "Umm..." She tried to get up, but his hands were around her waist making it impossible to get up. "Grayson. I'll give you two seconds to let go of me."

He ignored her, "Hey Ryan? Did you say she was ticklish?"

Ryan smirked, "Indeed I did."

Kori glared at her brother, "Traitor..." she hissed.

At the same time, they pounced on her, tickling her in every possible way. And Kori realized that she was laughing for the first time since the day of her death. She didn't think it possible to be optimistic about her situation but now see realized that she was very fortunate. She had friends, she had her brother, and though she didn't want to admit it, she had Richard. Perhaps she could accomplish her mission and change him... perhaps she could make him feel the same that he was making her feel.

"Ok! OK! Stop!" She screamed through her giggles.

Both of them stopped tickling her and stood up, each offering her a hand. What had changed in this short period of time? Why was Richard acting this way towards her? For what ever the reason...

...she really liked it.

GA

Not much action in this chapter, but I left many clues. Can you figure out what Bee's hiding? What about


	12. Cliques and Chick Flicks

Chapter 12

Cliques and Chick Flicks

Raven awoke to the sound of sinfully cheerful robins. She never liked such birds. Their strange tune was like none she had ever heard. It was almost ...sinister. She sighed realizing that sleep would no longer claim her and began to lift herself out of bed. However, as soon as she had begun to do so, and arm snaked around her waist. At first, she stiffened. The action, insignificant as it was, seemed alien to her. It was hard enough getting use to having Gar sleep in the same bed with her, and harder still to adapt to such close proximity. But when she thought back to the previous night, she let herself be enveloped by his muscled arms. She would relish the moment while Gar was still asleep.

She felt him shift slightly,"Rae?"

Damn.

"Yes, Logan?"

He pressed his face to the crook of her neck and it took all of her will power not to gasp, "I...l- promise to always be here when you need me."

She was, though she would never admit it to anyone, touched by the sincerity of his words. She could tell that he spoke the truth, "You always have been..."

And he had. He had seen her at rock bottom and helped her to the best of his ability even though she tried her hardest to push him away. He had shared her triumphs, laughed, cried, and even joked with her; something that no one was brave enough to do. They had grown up together... sometimes she thought of them as yin and yang; if he were to ever leave her she would never fell whole again. She had already been through the heart wrenching process of watching Gar and Terra date. Watching them kiss and hold hands. Watching them laugh together and finish each other's sentences. Seeing the look in Gar's eyes whenever she walked in the room. At first, Raven had dealt with it by simply ignoring them. She soon found that her efforts were futile. She could never tear her eyes away from them no matter how it hurt. Her fate was to be alone... and watch the one that she loved drift away from her.

Love? What did she know about love? She had never shared such an emotion with anyone except her mother. She had no indication that what she felt for him was love, but somehow she knew. She knew that she would never feel the same towards anyone.

Was fate so cruel to cause her to fall in love with her best friend?

His voice interrupted her thoughts. "Raven... he _kissed_ you."

He only said her full name when her was absolutely serious. But, she was confused. Why would he care if that demon had kissed her? "What's your point?"

He sighed, "He waltzed in here like he was supreme ruler of the world and _kissed_ you. And you... you kissed him back."

Why did he have to sound so betrayed? What was she supposed to tell him? She couldn't possibly tell him that she thought Garth was him! He would laugh at her! "I wasn't thinking. I was half asleep."

"Didn't look like it to me, Rae." He said softly. "Do you... like him?"

She narrowed her eyes. "What would make you think that, Logan?"

He flinched at her voice, "It's just..." He sighed, "It was hard enough to see him steal your first kiss. It almost killed me to see him kiss you again... to see him do it so effortlessly without any hesitation. If it's going to hurt so much I might as well know if you enjoyed it or not."

She didn't answer. She was too busy trying to decode his sentences. What did he mean? He couldn't... no. She wasn't going to assume anything. "I'm not stupid. I can see you are avoiding my questions, Gar, and I'm not going to answer you until you answer me." She looked him in the eye and tried her best not to be lured in by their beauty, "Why does it matter to you if I kissed him or not?"

"I... I can't answer that question." He sighed deeply, " If you knew what you were asking of me, you wouldn't want me to answer. I can't do it now."

For some reason, Raven could feel anger pulsing in her veins. "Why, Gar? Why can't you answer a simple question?"

"Because it's not as simple as you think, Rae." The tone in his voice hinted at finality, but Raven wasn't about to let him off the hook just yet.

She turned around in his arms to face him. "What made you... what made you come back yesterday?"

He looked at her quizzically, "What do you mean?"

"You ran off after... after...he kissed me."

She could feel his muscles tense and she suddenly wished that she hadn't brought it up again, "I guess I couldn't leave you with that creep. I didn't like the way he looked at you, Rae." He pulled her closer to his chest, "You're like a sister to me. I feel like I have to look after you."

It was Raven's turn to become tense, "I can take care of my self, Gar."

He raised an eyebrow at her in disbelief, "That's obviously not the case since I'm always the one that comes to your rescue."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing! She pushed herself off his chest and glared at him angrily, "Is that why you hang around me? Because you think I'm in need of your protection?"

He shook his head, "No- that's not it..."

She narrowed her eyes at him,"You don't think I can take care of myself, do you?"

Gar grabbed her shoulders in desperation, "Rae, you know that's not-"

"I don't need anyone to protect me! I can take care of myself-"

He gripped her shoulders more tightly now, "You want to know why I hang around you, Rae? I _pity _you. You're such an ice bitch to everyone around you! I'm the only one who can stand being around you and yet you treat me like dirt. I know that without me, you would probably kill yourself. Because if_ I _were stuck being you, I would do the same thing."

She felt as though a knife had been plunged into her heart and each of his harsh words were twisting it further. Was this what he really thought of her?

He laughed harshly, "Garth and you would make the perfect couple seeing as neither of you give a damn about anything but yourselves-"

"Shut up!" She shouted, "You know what, Logan? You're right. I do push people away. I do sometimes fell like killing myself. But don't accuse me of something I didn't do." She tried with all her power to keep the tears from welling up in her eyes, "I don't like him. I ...love you. I only kissed him because I thought he was you."

She didn't receive a response from him so she continued, "You don't know how hard it is to keep everything inside. You don't know all the things I've been through! To her kiss you and how happy she made you. I tried so hard to cope with my feelings for you... but it was killing me inside. I didn't push you away, Logan. You pushed _me _away."

She moved to get off the bed, but his hand gripped her shoulder. "Rae, don't-"

She wriggled her shoulder from his grasp,"You hurt me, Logan."

"I'm sorry, Rae."

She got off his bed and stood up. "Sorry can't fix everything."

Her sudden movement towards the door made his heart lurch. He couldn't let her leave. "Rae... please?"

She kept walking, ignoring his cries of desperation. He knew he had to do something...

He jumped up and blocked her way out of the room with his body. "Rae, do you even know where you're going? This is_ your_ house."

Her eyes flashed, "I can take care of myself, thank you."

"I'm not letting you leave."

She punched him in the stomach. **Hard. **He lost his balance and fell forward onto her small frame. "Damn it, Rae. Are you trying to kill me?"

"I will if you don't get off of me."

He laughed, "I don't think you're in any position to make threats."

She knew he was right. His frame was much larger and heavier than her own. "Get off of me, Logan."

"Do you really love me Rae?"

She was trapped. She wished she could lie about the whole thing... but those god damn eyes wouldn't let her. "...yeah."

To her surprise, he covered her lips with his own. The sensation was unreal... unlike anything she had ever felt before. The warmth spread from her lips to the tips of her toes. It was, in one word, amazing.

To her disappointment, they broke apart. He lifted her of the ground as though she weighed nothing at all, and laid her on her mattress. He leaned down so close to her ear that she could feel his warm breath in her ear. "Guess what Rae? I love you too."

She almost rolled her eyes at him, but she refrained. This was something that she had been hoping for since she was a little girl. She could have never imagined that it would feel like this. That he could be capable of drawing out any feeling from her cold heart.

His arms wrapped around her from behind again, and this time she was relaxed. "Why do you always do that, Logan?"

He placed his head in the crook of her neck, "So you won't even think about leaving."

She smiled, a notion that seemed foreign to her,"Don't worry. I wouldn't dream of it."

How wrong she was.

GA

Ryan Anders might not have been the brightest bulb, but he didn't need intelligence to see that there was something going on between Richard and his sister. As much as both of them denied it, there _was_ something there.

Kori jumped up in the air screaming in jubilation while Richard threw down his controller in anger. "It was rigged! There is no way that you could be capable of beating _me_! I am the best at video games!"

She poked his chest with her finger, "Admit it. I destroyed you."

He huffed and sat down on the couch, "Cheater."

She rolled her eyes, "How old are you again, Grayson? Five?"

He stuck his tongue at her causing her to roll her eyes again, " I stand corrected. You're two."

Ryan watched this exchange in amusement. He'd never seen his sister act this way towards anyone, even Xavier. The chemistry between them was almost tangible and he wished, though he shuddered at the thought, that they could be together. Even though he could feel traces of resentment towards the object of his sister's affections, he proved to be the lesser of the two evils.

Ryan turned to him, a ghost of a smile appearing on his face. "My sister always was the best at video games. The only one who could ever beat her was my other sister, Blackfire."

Richard flinched at the name which earned his a glare from Ryan. Kori was oblivious to it all. "Yeah, Kom was always the best at everything wasn't she? Singing, Dancing, and apparently _kissing_."

Her brother gave her a quizzical look and she smiled sadly, "Don't you remember? She stole one of my boyfriends... what was his name? Ethan!" Kori rolled her eyes. "I was such an idiot back then! I can't believe I cried over that idiot!"

Both Ryan and Richard let out the breath that they had been holding. "He had braces, didn't he? And greasy hair!"

"Yeah, he was an eyesore. The only reason that I even went out with him was because he was so sweet." She sighed, "I guess I misjudged his character."

_He's not the only one you've misjudged. That bastard you call your boyfriend is nowhere near as sweet as you think he is... _thought Richard as he stared at Kori as though willing her to read his mind. _You're just going to end up getting hurt..._

"Anyway... We've got a whole day to kill!" she looked at them expectantly. "What should we do?"

Ryan's eyes flickered to life, "Kori, I brought your favorite movie in case you wanted to watch it."

Her eyes widened in disbelief, "You _didn't_."

Richard was puzzled. "What are you talking about?"

"Titanic!" she squealed.

Richard rolled his eyes. "You're such a girl..."

She narrowed her eyes at him, "You've never seen it, have you?"

He shrugged, "Don't have to see it to know that it sucks."

"I bet you fifty bucks that you'll cry before this movie is even over, Grayson. Even my boyfriend cried when he watched it, and he happens to be the toughest guy I know."

The blow to his ego was harsh. She thought that scrawny little runt was the _toughest_? He's show her tough. He never lost a bet to anyone and he wasn't about to start now. "Alright Summers, you've got yourself a deal." He smirked arrogantly, "You have no idea what you're getting yourself into."

She arched a delicate eyebrow in skepticism, "Oh? And what would I be getting my self into?"

"Debt."

She rolled her eyes at him. "You seem rather confident, don't you? Alright let's raise the steaks a little bit. I bet you one hundred dollars."

Ryan gave her an odd look, "Star? Where are you going to get the m-" He was cut off by a sharp glare from his older sister, "Erm... snacks."

Kori let out the breath that she was holding. She was relieved that her brother hadn't said anything about money. If she had to explain where she got her money from she'd soon be on the next train to the insane asylum.

"We can go together." she told her brother,"Richard said he knows this place like the back of his hand."

He heard the slight disbelief in her voice and frowned. Did she not think he knew the place like the back of his hand? He knew it was a figurative saying, but he decided to look at the back of his hand for good measure...

She had written the word 'loser' in permanent marker and he hadn't even noticed! He rolled his eyes at her as she shook with silent laughter. Her brother ginned widely at her antics. It was good to see his sister back to her happy-go-lucky self.

She wiped an imaginary tear from her eye, "Ah, good times." Richard sent her a glare, "Let's get dressed and go to the supermarket."

As they separated, neither of them noticed that a pair of amber eyes had been watching their every move.

GA

"Alright, Richard, we are going to settle this the easy way."

He shrugged, "Fine by me."

She dug into her jeans pocket for a few moments before pulling out a shinny copper penny. "Heads is Rocky Road and tails is Moose Tracks."

They had been walking around the grocery store for about an hour in search of snacks for the movie. Surprisingly, they had the same preferences when it came to candy, popcorn, and drinks.

But as soon as they had headed down the ice cream isle there had been conflicts. Richard and her brother, the damn traitor, had agreed with Richard. But she had put her foot down. Who wanted marshmallows and almonds when they could have peanut butter cups and fudge?

"Here goes," Kori said. She proceeded to flip the coin into the air and catch it. She flipped it over on her hand to determine the victor, "I thought you said you never lost to anyone, Richard."

"I don't." He said simply.

"Well you lost the coin toss, oh mighty King of Games." She pumped a fist in the air causing the two boys to roll their eyes to the heavens, "Moose Tracks here I come!"

Richard stared at her oddly for the second time that morning. Why was she acting so happy? Up until now he knew her as an argumentative and calm girl. Seeing her like this made him understand that he hadn't ever really seen the real Star Summers. Her typical attitude toward him was clearly a carefully constructed facade. This was the girl that he wanted to get to know.

"Let's go." She said as she placed the tub of ice cream into the cart, "I want to see you cry as soon as possible. There are these nice shoes that I've been needing for my wardrobe for the longest time."

"Too bad you won't be getting them anytime soon."

Kori ignored his comment and started pushing the cart out of the ice cream isle. She almost immediately felt his big hands cover hers. "You think that two strong men- well one man and a little boy- would let you move that cart?"

She rolled her eyes for the umpteenth time that day, "Honestly. I'm _not_ a weakling."

Ryan glared at Richard for his comment. "And I am not a little boy!"

"Who ever said that you were?" he sighed, ignoring Ryan completely, "Could you just let me move the cart?"

Kori opened her mouth to argue but shut it immediately as she saw the sincere look on his face. It was odd to see such a look coming from the Grayson monster. She almost wanted him to flash her an other arrogant smirk just to quell the odd feeling in her chest. It seemed as though she was staring at him for an eternity before she spoke.

"I don't see why it's so important for you to move the cart, but be my guest." she sighed, "Boys... I will never be able to understand them."

They walked in silence towards the cash register. Kori insisted that she load the items from the cart onto the conveyer belt, but Richard wouldn't let her. God he was such an over protective boyfriend-

Boyfriend? Where had that thought came from? He was most certainly _not_ her boyfriend in any way shape or form. She be with him! The idea was absurd! He was too arrogant and argumentative for her tastes. And he...he

What was the other reason again?

Oh. Right. X...

The more she thought about him, the more angry it made her. He hadn't wanted to go anywhere with her that day in the parking lot. Weren't they supposed to be inseparable? Two teenagers torn apart by death and brought back together because of the decree of the angels...

Ugh. She really needed to lay off the crappy romance novels.

The cashier's dull voice broke her out of her stupor, "Your total is $20.94."

She reached into her pocket but, once again, Richard's hand stopped her from doing so. He held a rather expensive looking leather wallet loosely in his hands. He unzipped it and took out a random bill.

"Keep the change."

The cashier's eyes widened considerably as she stared at the crisp one hundred dollar bill in her hand, "Thank you, sir. Have a nice day."

Kori shook her head in astonishment. Shopping with Richard was definitely an experience. Had it been Xavier, he would have tricked her into paying for the food and then laugh about it later. Richard was so much more mature. She enjoyed being with him; it made her feel protected. She didn't really mind his insults anymore... they didn't even seem to make her angry anymore. His comments, though often annoying, seemed to make her laugh. Her green eyes focused on his profile as he proceeded to push the cart out of the automatic sliding doors. It was an added bonus that he was extremely good looking...

Richard turned to her and quirked an eyebrow, "Is there something on my face, Summers?"

She sighed, "No. Your face is a problem in itself."

She wasn't smiling or wearing her superior smirk he had become so accustomed to. She almost looked, dare he say it, upset. And if there was one thing that he knew about Star Summers it was that she didn't wear her heart on her sleeve. Vulnerability wasn't a quality that he had even associated with her. Yet these few days that he had spent with her, without the obstacle of school or her friends, he realized that he really didn't know her at all.

Ryan eyes were shifting between the two of them. He almost wanted to knock their heads together in annoyance. He could see it so clearly and yet they were completely oblivious to what was going on between them. It was difficult to resist temptation and just tell them how stupid they were really being.

He sighed, "Are we going to get home anytime soon or are you two just going to look at each other all day?"

His comment seemed to break them out of their stupor, "Oh just shut up, Ryan ," she scoffed and handed him three bags to carry, "Just for that, you're carrying my bags."

Ryan rolled his eyes, "You would have made me carry them anyways."

She winked, "Exactly."

She walked in front of them and Ryan wade rude gestures at her back, but Richard payed them no attention. What was with her today? He always used to think of her as annoying... but annoyingly hot. He believed that his hormones were what led him to be attracted to her. But he had seen her at her absolute worst, tears streaming down her delicate face, and he felt that annoying fluttering feeling in his chest. Without the make-up, short skirts, and overbearing attitude she was just beautiful, in every sense of the word. He didn't have any excuse for being attracted to her. But he was, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Somehow, knew that he wasn't just _attracted _to her. There was another feeling he had when he looked at her, or even talked to her, one that seemed almost impossible to decipher. Never in his life had he felt this way towards anyone. The unexplainable feelings that he had scared him. He never wanted to be attached to anyone because everything that he touched seemed to touch seemed to turn to dust. This time he was determined to keep himself in check.

"Richard," Kori turned around and looked at him quizzically, "I never look a gift horse in the mouth, but you haven't spoken once since we left the supermarket."

He shrugged, "I was just thinking, you should try it one of these days."

She rolled her eyes, "Bite me."

"As tempting as that sounds, I think I'll pass."

She was taken aback. What did he mean by that comment? Did he- no. He couldn't mean...

He noticed the expression on her face, "Get your mind out of the gutter."

She glared at him, "Don't flatter yourself, _Grayson_."

Somehow hearing his surname from her lips brought him back to his senses. What was he thinking? They were mere acquaintances: no more, no less. But then...

_She tapped him on his shoulder. He turned around, but when he realized who it was his eyes held no emotion. Kori flinched, "Listen Grayson. I'm sorry I didn't tell you that I had a boyfriend, but I honestly didn't think it would have made that much of a difference. I thought that you were a good friend, but if you can just hate me because I made one mistake, then I guess considering you as a friend was stupid."_

They were friends. He had denied her of his friendship once and regretted it. Suddenly, his mother's smiling face appeared in his mind along with a younger image of himself looking shamefaced. His mother had caught him stealing cookies from the jar before dinner.

She was a stern woman, but she had a very kind face. Kneeling down until she was at eye-level with her son she held his small face in her hands.

"_Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."_

He hadn't understood what she had meant back then. Although he was a very intelligent young boy, his mind was still that of a young boy. But now, he understood completely. Just as she trusted him not to steal anymore cookies, Star trusted him not to deny her friendship. He knew that if he ever did such a thing, she would never talk to him again.

"Why do you call me that?"

She looked confused, "It's going to be alright Grayson, there are treatments to help you with schizophrenia."

He was frustrated, "No, why do you call me by my last name?"

She smiled, "You call me by_ my _last name, and besides you wouldn't be the Grayson monster without it." she rolled her eyes at his expression, "Don't worry, it's not a term of endearment or anything."

Ryan, who had been quiet throughout the entire conversation, decided to speak up, "You know, I could be wrong, but I do believe that we have been standing in front of the apartment for about fifteen minutes." he sighed irritably, "I would like to get inside if you don't mind."

Kori stepped on his foot, "Patience is a virtue, dear brother."

Nevertheless she opened the door to her apartment and let them in. She turned to Richard and smiled evilly, making her red hair look as though it was on fire.

"Time to cry."

He shrugged, "I'll have a box if tissues ready when you do," he smirked, "and try not to get any tears on my shirt, it's new."

GA

The ride to Bee's house was silent. Both of them were thinking of all the events that had past between them during the last twenty-four hours. It all seemed so surreal. Vic had to pinch himself every five minutes to make sure that he wasn't in some kind of elaborate dream sequence. It was almost perfect. Almost...

"_There is always trouble in paradise." _

The voice of a boy that Bee hadn't seen since the summer of the eighth grade seemed to be haunting her lately. Torturing her whenever things just happened to be going good for her. She couldn't ignore it...

"_Shut up and leave me alone. I'm finally happy... I don't want you to ruin this for me."_

A cold laugh erupted throughout her mind sending chills down her spine,_ "If you think you are going to get away from me that easily, you've got another think coming. I was so close... I almost killed him. If you hadn't been there to save him, I would be in my body again._ _Look what I've been reduced to, finding solace in your mind with nowhere else to go. But my brother, he's going to make you pay for what you've done. And perhaps I'll take your boyfriend's body in the process."_

She wanted to scream, to tell Vic. But she knew that he wasn't a believer in 'hocus pocus'. He wouldn't believe her if she told him about her secret. The fact that she had kept it this well was a miracle in itself. She knew there were others in the region assigned to do different jobs, but she had only seen one so far. Her job was supposed to be finished. She had saved someone from dying and her life was given back as promised, but the demon still haunted her mind.

"Bee?"

She shook herself out of her stupor and smiled genuinely at him, "Yes?"

The car had come to a stop, they had been sitting in the car for quite a while. Bee felt her face heat up with embarrassment.

"Oh, I'll get out. I'm sorry I had to keep you waiting and everything and I- "

Before she knew it, his hands found their way to her waist and he had pulled her onto his lap. She leaned against him relishing in his warmth; basking in his presence. Suddenly every thought in her mind vanished.

"Whatever it is that's bothering you, it's going to be okay."

_I wish I could believe you_...

"Thanks Vic."

She could feel almost his satisfied smirk from behind her, "So you've finally decided to stop calling me Sparky?"

She rolled her eyes, "Of course not. Think of it as a term of_ endearment._"

He sighed knowing that arguing with her was a futile attempt. He didn't know why but it was almost as though he loved to argue with her. Maybe it was because she looked cute when she was mad, or maybe because her chest would heave when she was frustrated, or perhaps...

It didn't matter what the reason was. He was just glad to be with her. He had been waiting patiently for this moment for as long as he could possibly remember. Every time that he summed up enough courage to tell her, something would happen to prevent those words from leaving his lips.Every time that those same lips almost covered hers he'd pull back at the last moment in fright. But now, he didn't have to worry about any of those inhibitions. Now he had her all to hims-

Damn.

He moaned as he heard her tell-tale soft breaths. Bee had fallen asleep on him... again.

However, he didn't blame her in the slightest. It had been a rough day for her after all; not to mention that she had been violated by some random teenage boy in a parking lotWho did he think he was anyway? How did she even know such a jerk?

He sighed angrily. That boy couldn't even hold a candle to her, whoever he was. He should have given up while he was ahead. Only he could touch her like that...

He could feel his face heat up at his ludicrous thoughts. She would probably slap him if he even tried. That was what surprised him about the situation; Bee didn't even try to beat the guy up. And Vic knew that she could have kicked his scrawny ass to the moon and back. If he didn't know better, it was as if she was scared of the boy.

He shook his head. Bee wasn't afraid of anything. It must have all been in his imagination. Maybe the boy hadn't touched her at all and he had just imagined the whole-

His eyes focused on a piece of paper sticking out of her pocket. Overcome with curiosity he pulled it out slowly, making sure not to wake her up. Taking as much caution as he could, he unfolded the letter with shaking hands.

_Agent Karen,_

_I am sorry to inform you, but your job it not yet finished. There is another renegade demon planning to corrupt the Grayson boy's soul. Though Grayson has a Guardian angel, it is your job to make sure that the demon doesn't go near him. Take caution for he might attempt to corrupt the people close to you in the process. It is advisable that you cut all ties with the people close to you so that they won't be in any danger. Good Luck! _

_Jinx_

What the hell did this mean? Had she gone crazy? Was this some kind of joke she was playing on him? He knew for a fact that there were no such thing as guardian angels and demons. And how did that Grayson bastard have anything to do with it?

He could feel his heart twinge with jealousy. Did he know something about Bee that he apparently didn't? Was he in on the joke as well?

Bee snuggled up to him more causing the heat to rise to his cheeks once more. She had never hidden anything from him except, apparently, her feelings for him. He shuddered to think that perhaps there was something he didn't know about her...

She moaned and mumbled something incoherently under her breath before turning her body completely around in his lap. All of his thoughts vanished as quickly as they had come as he gently wrapped his muscular arms around her petite waist. He could feel her heart beating in her chest rapidly as though she had just completed some type of marathon.

_She must be having some kind of nightmare_... he mused.

"Victor..." she moaned as she pressed her fame flush against his own, "Vic...tor."

_Or... perhaps some kind of... fantasy?_

"Don't leave me...please?" she murmured softly making Victor unsure if was awake or not. "Don't let him... hurt me..."

He tensed suddenly wondering who she could possibly be referring to. He arms tightened around her now trembling frame protectively.

"I won't let him hurt you, Bee. I won't let _anyone_ hurt you."

He let his hands caress her silky brown locks to console her. Her body immediately relaxed in his arms and she wrapped her arms around his waist so that they were engaged in an odd sort of hug.

"Thank...you."

GA

_Jack: It's getting quiet._

_Jack: Just a few more minutes. It'll take them a while to get the boats organized_

_Rose is unmoving, just staring into space. She knows the truth. There won't be any boats. Behind Jack she sees that Officer Wilde has stopped moving. He is slumped in his life Jacket, looking almost asleep. He has died of exposure already._

_Jack: I don't know about you, but I intend to write a strongly worded letter to the White Star Line about all this._

_He laughs weakly, but it sounds like a gasp of fear. Rose finds his eyes in the dim light._

_Rose: I love you Jack._

_He takes her hand._

_Jack: No... don't say your good-byes, Rose. Don't you give up. Don't do it._

_Rose: I'm so cold._

_Jack: You're going to get out of this... you're going to go on and you're going to make babies and watch them grow and you're going to die an old lady, warm in your bed. Not here. Not this night. Do you understand me?_

_Rose: I can't feel my body._

_Jack: Rose, listen to me. Listen. Winning that ticket was the best thing that ever happened to me._

_Jack is having trouble getting the breath to speak._

_Jack: It brought me to you. And I'm thankful, Rose. I'm Thankful._

_His voice is trembling with the cold which is working its way to his heart. But his eyes are unwavering._

_Jack: You must do me this honor... promise me you will survive... that you will never give up... no matter what happens... no matter how hopeless... promise me now, and never let go of that promise._

_Rose: I promise._

_Jack: Never let go._

_Rose: I Promise. I will never let go, Jack. I'll never let go. Hear._

_She grips his hand and they lie with their heads together. It is quiet now, except for the lapping of water. _

Kori was trying with all her might not to burst out in tears. She was surprised that she had in fact made it this far into the movie without a single tear.

She glanced at Richard out of the corner of her eye and was amused to see that he was looking intently at the screen. His lips were pressed together in a way that looked suspiciously like he was holding his breath.

She almost giggled aloud but she restrained herself for she didn't want him to look away from the screen. His right hand was draped casually over the couch and would occasionally brush against her shoulder causing her to shiver pleasantly. She tried her best to quell the feeling of liking she suddenly acquired from him but found that it was immensely difficult to do so. She couldn't help but notice that one of her feet had hooked under his own and he hadn't bothered to tell her off about it.

_Rose sweeps down the staircase. The crowd of beautiful gentlemen and ladies turn as she descends toward them. At the bottom a man stands with his back to her... he turns and it is Jack. Smiling he holds his hand out toward Rose._

_Rose goes into his arms, a girl of 17. The passengers, officers and crew of the RMS Titanic smile and applaud in the utter silence of the abyss._

Kori was biting her lips. She knew she was about to cry, she just knew it. She glanced at Richard expecting to see him looking smugly at her for winning the bet. And to her surprise...

...a single crystalline tear was cascading down his face.

"_Hah!"_ she exclaimed in triumph, "You cried first! You lose!"

He turned away from her mumbling something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like 'fluke.'

She rolled her eyes, "Looks like those shoes will make a nice addition to my collection."

"Shut up..." he hissed angrily, "I just... just have something stuck in my eye."

"Aww!" she cooed, "You want me to kiss it and make it all better?"

He was about to glare at her in contempt, but then she did the oddest thing: she kissed him softly just above the eye. He closed his eyes trying to relish in the soft tender feeling of her lips against his skin. But the action ended just as quickly as it had started. She pulled way, a delicate blush staining her features.

"I-I'll go and get you a tissue." she mumbled before making her way to the bathroom, tripping over her own feet as she walked.

Richard smirked at her obvious nervousness. They were virtually alone. Ryan had fallen asleep in his sister's arms less than an hour into the movie which happened to be immensely long. She'd just recently brought him to the guest room and dropped him unceremoniously on the bed. He'd noticed the way that he's snuggled into his sister's arms as she watched the movie. He couldn't help wishing that he was in the little punk's body...

He sighed at his hopelessness. _Never_ in his life had he felt this way about anyone He'd always thought that girls were the most useless beings, what with them sashaying around in short skirts and pouty lipsluring in every guy imaginable. But she... she-

He never found out was she was for a sharp bloodcurdling scream had interrupted his thoughts. He dashed to the bathroom as fast as he could and opened the door with so much force that it almost came off its hinges.

There in the corner of the bathroom was X, Kori's boyfriend leaning casually against the linoleum wallsa look of malice on his devilishly handsome features. His hands were gripped loosely around a knifea knife that was pointing in the direction of Kori.

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing?" Richard screamed his eyes darting from X to the knife in his hand.

X walked over to Kori in two quick strides and Richard didn't fail to notice the look of pure shock that had marred her features. "Sorry Grayson," he drawled coldly, "But this is between me..." he traced a finger down the curve of her neck and traced her lips with his fingers causing her to shake violently, "...and her."

Richard was shaking with anger at the way he touched her, "Don't touch her."

X seemed to ignore him proceeding to snake his hands around Kori's waist and pulled her body flush against his own, "Did you miss me, babe?"

He leaned in and kissed her so roughly that it caused tears to well up in her eyes. Her hands were on his chest, attempting to push him away, but he was much too strong for her.

Déjà vu.

_Richard walked closer to get a better look, and what he saw disgusted him. There was a girl trying as hard as she could to push Johnny off of herself, but Johnny was coming on too strong. His hands were all but up her shirt, and this girl was crying her eyes out. This was low, even from Rancid's standard._

"_Hey, Rancid! Have you sunk so low as to harass innocent girls for pleasure. I never thought even you wouldn't sink that low." Richard spat. _

"_Bug off bird-boy! This is none of your business!" Johnny hissed._

"_Oh I think it is, Rancid. This is the hallway and everything you do here is everyone's business," Richard said smugly._

_Rancid growled threateningly, "You're going to regret even talking to me like that, bird- boy."_

_He turned to walk away, "I'm not done with you yet, babe."_

He couldn't bear to watch her go through the same pain again. He just couldn't...

Without thinking, he lunged at X pushing him against the wall with all the strength he could muster. His eyes widened in surprise and the knife he was holding clattered to the floor. He pulled back his fist and punched him as hard as he possible could. He attempted to punch him again, but X caught his fist in midair and proceeded to punch in the stomach.

Unfazed, Richard lifted his knee and pressed it into X's stomach in retaliation. The taller boy grabbed him by his shoulders and slammed him to the ground. Richard winced in pain as his head hit the hard floor.

X sneered at him and leaned down to whisper something into his ear, "She's _mine_, Grayson, and so are you."

He slammed his head repeatedly against the floor causing Kori to scream in horror. She ran over to X attempting to rip him off of Richard, but he simply pushed her hard into the wall causing her head to hit it with a resounding thud.

This caused Richard to regain his fervor. He pushed X off of him and slammed a fist into his face. He heard a sickening crunch of his nose breaking and a fountain of blood squirted from his nose.

"Damn... Master X is going to kill me!" the boy below him wailed, "I've ruined his connection to me."

Richard watch in horror as the figure below him morphed into a rather unpleasant and feeble looking monster. He looked strangely like the monsters that he and Star had fought not to long ago.

"W-what are you?"

"A messenger." the monster sniffed, "Here to tell you that you and the girl are to be killed soon."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"That is all I am to tell you. X asked me if he could merge with my soul to deliver the girl one last kiss before she dies."

Before Richard could even ask him another question, he disappeared in a cloud of black smoke.

He ran hurriedly over to Korihis mind in disarray. "Hey, you okay?"

She was shaking furiously, her lips barely able to form words. "He... he..."

Richard sank down next to her, placing a hand around her shoulders in comfort, "Shh... I know."

She laid her head on his shoulder and let the tears fall down her cheeks freely. "I-I loved him..."

Richard's heart twanged with hurt but he didn't let it show in his face. Instead he hugged her tightly letting her lay her head onto his shoulder. "It's okay..."

They sat there for a while in the comfort of each other's arms not daring to talk or even move. In his arms she felt as if nothing could ever hurt her again... she was protected.

She pulled away from him suddenly, looking into his dark blue eyes,"Grayson?"

"Mm?"

She leaned in slightly letting her lips brush against his and entwining her hand with his. Richard's eyes widened at first, but he welcomed the warm feeling rushing through his veins. The action, as innocent as it was caused his body to respond completely pulling her body closer to his own.

She broke away from him and smiled, laying her head in the crook of his neck, "Thanks."

GA

A/N: Sorry for the LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG wait but school had been so difficult for me. Have mercy on my soul and don't come after me worth pitchforks or anything like that... .._ So what do you think?_ Love? Hate? Want to kill me for writing such a piece of crap? So you in your review... just don't flame me, please? I'll update much faster this time I promise. Luv ya!

Andi-chan


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